Co3O4/CuMoO4 Hybrid Microflowers Composed of Nanorods with Rich Particle Boundaries as a Highly Active Catalyst for Ammonia Borane Hydrolysis

Abstract

Dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) is a promising approach for the production and use of hydrogen for industrial and fuel cell applications. The development of low-cost and highly active catalysts is critical for these practical applications. In this study, low-cost Co3O4/CuMoO4 hybrid microflowers composed of nanorods with rich particle boundaries were synthesized. Co3O4/CuMoO4 was used as a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of AB and showed a high catalytic activity with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 129.15 molhydrogenmolcat-1 min-1 at room temperature. The apparent activation energy (Ea) of the catalyst was found to be as low as 23.2 kJ mol-1. It was revealed that the synergistic effect between Co3O4 and CuMoO4 played a critical role in improving the catalytic activity. Co3O4 is relatively active, but a long induction time is needed when it acts as a catalyst in AB hydrolysis. In contrast, CuMoO4 is less active, but it can immediately catalytically initiate the hydrolytic reaction. When these two compound are combined as a hybrid catalyst, its catalytic performance is significantly improved. These findings can provide some new insight for those who are trying to design some noble-metal-free hybrid catalyst with high catalytic activity towards AB hydrolysis.