Investigation of high-activity activated carbon-supported Co-Cr-B catalyst in the generation of hydrogen from hydrolysis of sodium borohydride

Abstract

In this study, activated carbon-supported Co-Cr-B catalyst was synthesized by chemical impregnation and precipitation method for use in the catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). The activity of Co-Cr-B / activated carbon (5-20%) obtained by using different ratios was investigated while synthesizing activated carbon-supported Co-Cr-B catalyst. The effects of some parameters such as NaOH Concentration (0-5%), NaBH₄ concentration (2.5-10%), amount of catalyst (25-100 mg) and solution ambient temperature were investigated in the catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH₄. The hydrogen production rate of Co-Cr-B catalyst without support in hydrolysis of NaBH₄ was found as 6.5 Lg^-1 min^-1 _catalyst while the hydrogen production rate of activated carbon supported Co-Cr-B catalyst was found as 30.2 Lg^-1 min^-1 _catalyst. In presence of activated carbon-supported Co-Cr-B catalyst, the hdyrolysis kinetic order and activation energy of NaBH₄ were found as 0.126 and 16.27 kJ/mol, respectively. The results suggest that activated carbon-supported Co-Cr-B catalysts can be used for mobile applications of Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFCs) systems.