Hydrogen generation from alkaline NaBH4 solution using nanostructured Co-Ni-P catalysts

In the present study, nanostructured Co-Ni-P catalysts have been successfully prepared on Cu sheet by electroless plating method. The morphologies of Co-Ni-P catalysts are composed of football-like, granular, mockstrawberry-like and shuttle-like shapes by tuning the depositional pH value. The as-deposited mockstrawberry-like Co-Ni-P catalyst exhibits an enhanced catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of NaBH4 solution. The hydrogen generation rate and activation energy are 2172.4 mL min(-1) g(-1) and 53.5 kJ mot(-1), respectively. It can be inferred that the activity of catalysts is the result of the synergistic effects of the surface roughness, the particle size and microscopic architectures. Furthermore, the stability of mockstrawberry-like Co-Ni-P catalyst has been discussed, and the hydrogen generation rate remains about 81.4% of the initial value after 5 cycles. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.