Hydrogen Generation from Hydrolysis of Sodium Borohydride Using Ni-Ru Nanocomposite as Catalysts

Magnetic Ni-Ru/50WX8 catalysts are synthesized with combined methods of conventional chemical reduction method and electroless deposition. Catalysts can be easily recycled with magnets owing to their intrinsic ferromagnetism. Thus, it is convenient to separate catalysts from spent NaBH₄ solution for further recycling. Effect of temperature on catalyst performance is less significant at higher temperature, which is beneficial to devices without good regulations on temperature. A rate of hydrogen evolution as high as 150 ml•min^-1•g^-1 could be reached at 25°C, which, equivalently, can generate 15 W of power through a PEMFC. Different variables that affect the rate of hydrogen production are investigated. Activation energy of hydrogen generation using such catalysts is estimated at about 52.73 kJ•mol^-1.