Hydrogen production from catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride solution using nickel boride catalyst

A highly stable and active nickel boride catalyst (NixB) was prepared and tested for the catalytic hydrolysis of alkaline NaBH4 solution. It was found that after heat treatment at 150°C in vacuum the NixB catalyst shows greatly enhanced catalytic activity and operational stability. In the experimental conditions, the hydrolysis reaction can produce 6.75 wt% hydrogen at 45°C and >4.0 wt% hydrogen even at room temperatures, exhibiting much higher hydrogen storage capacity than currently used alloys for hydrogen storage. Since the NixB catalyst is inexpensive and easy to prepare, it is feasible to use this catalyst in the construction of practical hydrogen generators for portable and in situ applications.