Regulation of Co3O4/Co hetero-structures embedded in N-doped porous carbon as high-efficient catalysts for dehydrogenation of ammonia borane

Abstract

Catalytic hydrolysis of ammonia borane (NH3BH3, AB) is a promising way to supply hydrogen for new energy devices. To accommodate the requirement of fast hydrogen-generation, developing high-efficient and economic catalyst is a crucial subject. In this work, Co3O4/Co hetero-structures embedded in N-doped porous carbon (Co3O4/Co@NC) were prepared as highly efficient catalysts for hydrolysis of AB by a two-step pyrolysis-oxidation method using ZIF-67 as precursor. It is found that the interfacial interaction between Co3O4 and Co nanoparticles plays a crucial role in the facilitation of the dehydrogenation of AB from hydrolysis, and the composition of Co3O4/Co hetero-structures can be regulated via controlling the first-step pyrolysis temperature. As a result, Co3O4/Co@NC-800 with optimized composition and high porosity, exhibits excellent catalytic activity with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 40.6 molH2·min−1·molCo−1, and high stability. This work provides a new understanding for the design and fabrication of high-efficient and economical nanocatalysts for AB hydrolysis.