Co3xCu3-3x(PO4)2 microspheres, a novel non-precious metal catalyst with superior catalytic activity in hydrolysis of ammonia borane for hydrogen production

Abstract

Development of robust and cheap catalyst for fast hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane (AB) aqueous solution is an interesting and important topic in the field of hydrogen energy. Herein, a novel non-precious Co3xCu3-3x(PO4)2 catalyst possessing high reactivity in AB hydrolysis has been developed for the first time. By tuning the molar ratio of Co and Cu, a series of Co3xCu3-3x(PO4)2 with different x were synthesized and the catalytic behavior in AB hydrolysis was examined. At the optimal x of 0.8, an ultrahigh turnover frequency of 72.6 min−1 was achieved. Additionally, the synergistic effect between Cu3(PO4)2 and Co3(PO4)2 was experimentally confirmed, and the reaction kinetics of AB hydrolysis catalyzed by Co2.4Cu0.6(PO4)2 were investigated. This work provides a simple route and some new insights for the fabrication of a cheap P-containing catalyst with robust catalytic performance.