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Abstract
With the aim of designing an efficient hydrogen generator for portable fuel cell applications nickel–cobalt–boride (Ni–Co–B) catalysts were
prepared by a chemical reduction method and their catalytic hydrolysis reaction with alkaline NaBH4 solution was studied. The performance of
the catalysts prepared from NaBH4 solution with NaOH, and without NaOH show different hydrogen generation kinetics. The rate of hydrogen
generation was measured using Ni–Co–B catalyst as a function of the concentrations of NaOH and NaBH4 , as well as the reaction temperature, in
the hydrolysis of alkaline NaBH4 solution. The hydrogen generation rate increases for lower NaOH concentrations in the alkaline NaBH4 solution
and decreases after reaching a maximum at 15 wt.% of NaOH. The hydrogen generation rate is found to be constant with respect to the concentration
of NaBH4 in the alkaline NaBH4 solution. The activation energy for hydrogen generation is found to be 62 kJ mol−1 , which is comparable with
that of hydrogen generation by a ruthenium catalyst.
© 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Nickel–cobalt–boride; Hydrogen generation; Sodium borohydride; Hydrolysis; Catalyst; Fuel cell
0378-7753/$ – see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.04.040
Author's personal copy
J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457 451
Table 1
Nomenclature and hydrogen generation rate of Ni–Co–B catalysts
Sample name Preparation condition Rate of hydrogen generation (15 wt.% NaOH,
0.16 g NaBH4 at 28 ◦ C) (ml min−1 g−1 catalyst)
Fuel supplied for 15 min Fuel supplied suddenly
using peristaltic pump using syringe
452 J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457
Fig. 1. (a) Experimental set-up. (b) Reactor: (1) argon inlet for flushing; (2) hydrogen outlet; (3) temperature sensor; (4) NaBH4 solution inlet.
J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457 453
454 J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457
J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457 455
Table 2
Comparison of hydrogen generation performances of various catalysts
Catalyst Temperature NaBH4 concentration Average H2 generation rate NaOH concentration Reference
(◦ C) (ml min−1 g−1 catalyst) (wt.%)
456 J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457
J.C. Ingersoll et al. / Journal of Power Sources 173 (2007) 450–457 457
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