Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles anchored on reduced graphene oxide nanoribbons (0D/1D CoFe2O4/rGONRs) as an efficient catalyst for hydrogen generation via NaBH4 hydrolysis

Abstract

For better performance of nanoparticles as the heterogeneous catalyst, various materials with a large surface area have been introduced as the substrate. Herein, CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were anchored on carbon nanotubes (CoFe2O4/CNTs) and graphene nanoribbons (CoFe2O4/GONRs) to investigate the influence of substrate in the catalytic performance. These nanocomposites were evaluated in a NaBH4 hydrolysis reaction to produce hydrogen. The results showed that the highest hydrogen volume occurs in the presence of CoFe2O4/GONRs nanocatalyst. Abundant oxygen-based functional groups at the edges of GONRs offered excellent sites for CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and improved catalytic performance. Under optimum conditions (2.0 wt% of NaBH4, 15 mg of catalyst, 2.0 wt% of NaOH), the hydrogen generation rate was found to be 3.7 L g-1min−1 at 35 °C. The activation energy was calculated using the Arrhenius method, equivalent to 31.4 kJ mol−1. Therefore, CoFe2O4/GONRs catalyst can be a novel and efficient candidate for hydrogen production as a clean fuel.