Construction of NiCo–Pt nanopolyhedron inlay-structures and their highly efficient catalysis hydrolytic dehydrogenation toward ammonia borane

Abstract

New NiCo–Pt nanopolyhedron inlay-structures with an average diameter of ∼450 nm have been synthesized through replacement deposition Co or Ni by reductive replacement with a Pt submonolayer (galvanic replacement) on NiCo hexagonal nanoplates and nanoicosahedrons. The resultant products are investigated as hydrolytic dehydrogenation catalyst for potential hydrogen energy applications. The NiCo–Pt nanopolyhedrons exhibit higher catalytic activity than NiCo nanopolyhedrons for the hydrolysis of borane in aqueous ammonia borane at ambient atmosphere and room temperature. In particular, the NiCo–Pt hexagonal nanoplates exhibit efficient catalytic activity with a lower activation energy of 45.72 kJ mol−1 than that (49.4 kJ mol−1) for NiCo.