Carbon-supported platinum catalysts for on-site hydrogen generation from NaBH4 solution

A flexible hydrogen generation (HG) method based on catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH4 solution is developed. Carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C) samples served as the catalysts, and the catalytic strategies for hydrolysis of NaBH4 solution are analyzed via the studies on apparent morphology, catalytic activity, BET surface, and sustaining H2 supply test. Pt/C catalysts are proved to be excellent accelerators, and Pt-loading plays an important role in the hydrogen generation reactions. For a reactor loaded with 100 mg 13.1% Pt/C catalyst, when 10% NaBH4–5% NaOH solution is pumped into the reactor with a speed of 10 ml/min, it can achieve a maximum HG rate of 29.6 (l/min/g catalyst), and give sustaining H2 supply for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with an average HG rate of 23.0 (l/min/g catalyst).