Fe-B catalyst fabricated by hybrid capacitive adsorption-chemical reduction method and its application for hydrogen production from NaBH4 solution

Abstract

Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in the presence of sodium hydroxide as a stabilizer was a hydrogen generation source with high hydrogen storage efficiency and stability. The catalyst has a key role in H-2 generation reaction from NaBH4. We reported that a structured FeB catalyst prepared by capacitive adsorption of Fe ions followed by alkaline chemical reduction step. A porous carbon clothes could hold Fe ions with capacitive current and it was reduced by NaBH4 hydrolysis. The loading amount and the density of FeB electrodes were strongly dependent of the experiment conditions of an applied potential at the first step and the reduction time at the second step. We observed that FeB showed a stable hydrogen production from NaBH4 without fast degradation phenomena; even if the production rate was slower than that using CoB or NiB. In addition, H-2 generation rate using FeB/C cloth electrode can achieve 813 mL min(-1) g(-1) catalyst at room temperature. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.