High-performance graphite-supported ruthenium nanocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

The monodisperse graphite supported ruthenium (0) nanoparticles (Ru (0)/Graphite NPs) was obtained by using chemical reduction method and performed in the dehydrogenation reaction of dimethyl-amine borane (DMAB). The characterization of Ru (0)/Graphite NPs was characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Raman Spectroscopy. After full characterization of Ru (0)@Graphite NPs, the prepared nanoparticles were performed for the catalytic dehydronation of dimethylamine borane and it has been found that Ru (0)/Graphite NPs is a highly active catalyst for this purpose. The initial TOF value was found to be 281.51 h−1 at ambient conditions. Ru (0)/Graphite NPs were also tried for reusability and durability measurements and it was found that Ru (0)/Graphite NPs maintained their catalytic activities with the beginning performance of 79% during the dehydrogenation of DMAB. In addition, the detailed kinetic studies were investigated depending on the concentration of catalyst, temperature and etc. The results showed that the activation enthalpy (ΔH#), entropy (ΔS#) and energy (Ea) were found to be 11.33 kJ·mol−1, −220.686 J mol−1 K−1, and 13.82 kJ·mol−1, respectively, for the dehydrogenation of DMAB.