Co-MoO3 Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Production from Ammonia Borane

Abstract

Ammonia borane (AB) is recognized as a highly promising material for hydrogen storage owing to its exceptional safety and high hydrogen density, enabling controllable hydrogen release at room temperature through catalytic hydrolysis. The development of efficient catalysts to accelerate this process remains a critical research challenge. In this work, carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Co-MoO3 nanoparticles were synthesized through reduction with sodium borohydride. The catalyst with a Co/MoO3 molar ratio of 1.0:0.1 (denoted as Co1Mo0.1/CNTs) showed optimal performance in AB hydrolysis, with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 19.15 molH2 molcat−1 min−1 and an activation energy (Ea) of 26.41 kJ mol−1. The superior performance of the Co1Mo0.1/CNTs catalyst can be ascribed to the efficient proton-transfer promotion by carboxylated carbon nanotubes and the synergistic catalytic effect between Co and Mo in the system. This study offers a viable pathway for constructing high-efficiency noble metal-free catalysts for hydrogen production from AB hydrolysis.