Mesoporous Co–B–N–H nanowires: superior catalysts for decomposition of hydrous hydrazine to generate hydrogen

Abstract

N- and H-incorporating Co–B amorphous nanowires were successfully synthesized as superior N2H4 decomposition catalysts for H2 generation via a facile solution plasma process (SPP). A possible mechanism for the formation of the Co–B–N–H nanowires during the SPP is proposed. The incorporation of N and H into the Co–B nanowires not only introduces basic sites, but also weakens the interaction between adspecies produced (including H2 and NHx) and surface Co atoms. Together with their unique one-dimensional nanostructure and N and H incorporation, the as-prepared Co–B–N–H nanowires exhibited superior performance in N2H4 decomposition for H2 generation. The activation energy of the Co–B–N–H nanowires was 39.9 ± 1.5 kJ mol−1. The nanowires were stable catalysts for N2H4 hydrolytic dehydrogenation, providing 133 020 total turnovers in 30 h. The excellent performance of our Co–B–N–H nanowires provides a new perspective concerning the possibility of constructing hydrogen-producing systems from N2H4 with competitive performance in comparison to NaBH4 and NH3BH3 hydrogen-producing systems for fuel cell applications.