(82g) Study On Solid-State NaBH4/Co-Based Catalyst Composite for Hydrogen Production

The solid-state NaBH₄/cobalt based catalyst composite was developed via a high energy mechanical ball milling process, grinding particles into a size near 2 μm and providing a uniform contact between NaBH₄ and catalysts. Addition of controlled amount of water was a significant factor improving the solubility problem of NaBO₂ and NaBH₄ in aqueous system, which often damages and deactivates the catalyst as well as clogs the system for its application as a hydrogen supply to a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. As a result, 6.7 wt% of hydrogen storage capacities were obtained in the present work, which met the target of 6 wt% declared by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Besides, the hydrogen generation system is easy and quick to start up, which is promising for portable 3C electronic products. The performance of the solid-state NaBH₄/Co based catalyst composite was affected by the amount of water, loading of catalysts and duration of milling, which were all discussed in the study.

Keywords: solid-state; hydrogen generation; ball milling; sodium borohydride; catalyst.