Co-Mo nanoparticles loaded on three–dimensional graphene oxide as efficient catalysts for hydrogen generation from catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride

Abstract

Co-Mo particles were loaded on three dimensional graphene oxide (3DGO) carrier via a chemical reduction method to get a composite catalyst, Co-Mo/3DGO, for hydrogen generation from NaBH4 hydrolysis. Hydrolysis measurement shows that the ratio Co:Mo = 0.7:0.3 realizes a much higher hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 7023.3mLH2⋅min−1⋅gM−1 , about 1.6 times of that for the Mo element undoped Co/3DGO (4394 mLH2.min−1.gM−1) catalyst. And the reaction activation energy is as low as 35.6 kJ mol−1. The as prepared Co0.7Mo0.3/3DGO catalyst disperses on 3DGO surface as smaller particles than Co/3DGO, and presents a waxberry like structure with more active sites for catalysis reaction, which enables the catalyst a superior catalytic activity. Besides abundant active sites, MoO3 supported active blend of Co and CoO is another reason for the higher activity.