Mesoporous Co-B-N-H nanowires: superior catalysts for decomposition of hydrous hydrazine to generate hydrogen

N- and H-incorporating Co-B amorphous nanowires were successfully synthesized as superior N2H4 decomposition catalysts for H-2 generation via a facile solution plasma process (SPP). A possible mechanism for the formation of the Co-B-N-H nanowires during the SPP is proposed. The incorporation of N and H into the Co-B nanowires not only introduces basic sites, but also weakens the interaction between adspecies produced (including H-2 and NHx) and surface Co atoms. Together with their unique one-dimensional nanostructure and N and H incorporation, the as-prepared Co-B-N-H nanowires exhibited superior performance in N2H4 decomposition for H-2 generation. The activation energy of the Co-B-N-H nanowires was 39.9 +/- 1.5 kJ mol(-1). The nanowires were stable catalysts for N2H4 hydrolytic dehydrogenation, providing 133 020 total turnovers in 30 h. The excellent performance of our Co-B-N-H nanowires provides a new perspective concerning the possibility of constructing hydrogen-producing systems from N2H4 with competitive performance in comparison to NaBH4 and NH3BH3 hydrogen-producing systems for fuel cell applications.