Hydrogen generation from hydrolysis of ammonia borane in the presence of highly efficient poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-protected platinum-ruthenium nanoparticles

•PVP-protected Pt–Ru nanoparticles are highly efficient in hydrolysis of AB.•TOF value is 308 mol H2 molcat−1 min−1 for the hydrolysis of AB.•Max HG rate is 9884 L H2 min−1 molcat−1 for the hydrolysis of AB.•Activation energy is 56.3 ± 2 kJ mol−1 for the hydrolysis of AB.

Herein, the employment of PVP-protected Pt–Ru bimetallic nanoparticles (3.2 ± 1.4 nm) as highly efficient catalysts in the hydrolysis of ammonia borane for hydrogen generation is reported. They were prepared by co-reduction of two metal ions in ethanol/water mixture by an alcohol reduction method and characterized by TEM–EDX analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. They are recyclable and highly active for hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of ammonia borane even at very low concentrations and temperature, providing a record numbers of average TOF value (308 mol H2 molcat−1 min−1) and maximum hydrogen generation rate (9884 L H2 min−1 (molcat)−1) for ammonia borane. PVP-protected Pt–Ru bimetallic nanoparticles provide activation energy of 56.3 ± 2 kJ mol−1 for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane.

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