Hydrogen evolution from NaBH4 using novel Ni/Pt nanoparticles decorated on a niobium-based composite

Abstract

The niobium-based nanocomposite (Nb-CP), inspired by MOF-based synthesis, was developed utilizing the ligands 4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTC). This material was decorated with bimetallic nanoparticles (Ni2/Pt8 NPs-Nb-CP) and applied for the first time for hydrogen evolution from sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Characterization results indicated successful synthesis. The FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups such as -C-H, –CO, and -O-H from ligands in the composite. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the thermal stability of the niobium composite (Nb-CP). Through X-ray diffraction (XRD), peaks associated with sodium niobate were detected. Additionally, the material was functionalized with bimetallic Ni/Pt nanoparticles, whose presence was also identified by XRD. The cubic morphology of the material was observed, with the decoration of bimetallic nanoparticles (Ni2/Pt8 NPs-Nb-CP) with an average size of 7.80 ± 0.10 nm, uniformly distributed in Nb-CP. The catalytic performance of the material was evaluated in hydrogen evolution from NaBH4. Various reaction parameters were investigated, such as nanoparticle composition, variation in NaBH4 concentration, catalyst dose, NaOH concentration, and temperature. Remarkably, the material exhibited a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 1782 mL min−1 g−1cat and an activation energy of 23.1 kJ mol−1. Furthermore, it demonstrated efficiency close to 100% over 16 consecutive reaction cycles, indicating its promising stability and reusability. This study highlights the potential of Ni2/Pt8 NPs-Nb-CP as an efficient and durable catalyst for hydrogen production through borohydride hydrolysis, providing insights into the design and application of advanced heterogeneous catalytic materials.