Author(s)

Jiafu Li ¹, Yanran Feng ¹, Lebin Mi ¹, Yue Sun ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China

Corresponding Author

Yue Sun

ABSTRACT

The global energy crisis and environmental pollution issues have intensified the search for clean and sustainable energy sources. Hydrogen, with its high energy density and clean combustion, is considered an ideal energy carrier. However, the safe and efficient storage and transportation of hydrogen pose significant challenges. Ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃) has emerged as a promising hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen content, stability, and solubility in polar solvents. Despite its potential, the release of hydrogen from ammonia borane requires effective catalysis to overcome kinetic barriers and minimize the formation of undesirable by-products. In this study, we report the synthesis of ruthenium-loaded montmorillonite (Ru/MMT) nanocatalysts through a wet impregnation method, followed by hydrogen reduction. The Ru/MMT nanocatalysts facilitate rapid complete hydrolysis of ammonia borane, yielding over 70 mL of hydrogen in 2.5 minutes at ambient temperature, achieving a turnover frequency (TOF) exceeding 400 molH2•molRu^-1•min^-1. Moreover, these catalysts exhibit remarkable stability across numerous cycles. This research underscores the potential of Ru/MMT nanocatalysts for effective hydrogen production from ammonia borane, offering a promising avenue for the development of sustainable hydrogen storage and release technologies.

KEYWORDS

Hydrogen; Nanocatalyst; Ammonia Borane; Hydrolysis

CITE THIS PAPER

Jiafu Li, Yanran Feng, Lebin Mi, Yue Sun, Ruthenium-loaded montmorillonite as a nanocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution. Modern Physical Chemistry Research (2024) Vol. 4: 56-62. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mpcr.2024.040108.

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