Binary Palladium–Nickel/Vulcan carbon-based nanoparticles as highly efficient catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction at room temperature

Abstract

Abstract Herein, Palladium–Nickel alloy nanoparticles assembled on Vulcan carbon composites (PdNi@VC) have been reported as highly efficient, stable and durable catalyst for the hydrogen evolution from dimethylamine borane. Palladium–Nickel alloy nanoparticles assembled on Vulcan carbon composites were prepared using ultrasonic reduction technique and characterized using some analytical methods. The characterization analyses revealed that Palladium–Nickel alloy nanoparticles assembled on Vulcan carbon composites have a monodisperse metal distribution and crystalline structure. Some catalytic experiments were performed, and some activation parameters such as activation energy (Ea=40.05 ± 2 kJ/mol), activation entropy (ΔS =−132.11± 1 J mol −1 K −1 ) and activation enthalpy (ΔH =37.55 ± 1 kJ mol −1 ) were calculated for catalytic reaction of dimethylamine borane. The turnover frequency (TOF) value of Palladium–Nickel alloy nanoparticles assembled on Vulcan carbon composites was found to be 283.48 h −1 , having one of the best catalytic activities among the previous heterogenous catalysts tested for dimethylamine borane (DMAB) catalytic reaction.