Spirulina Platensis microalgae strain modified with phosphoric acid as a novel support material for Co-B catalysts: Its application to hydrogen production

Spirulina platensis is defined as the dried biomass of cyanobacteria in commercial use and is biomass with high carbon content. Spirulina platensis microalgae strain supported-CoB catalysts to produce hydrogen from sodium borohydride (NaBH4) were prepared for the first time. The Spirulina platensis microalgae strain was modified with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to proton. Then, the supported catalyst was performed to produce hydrogen from NaBH4 hydrolysis. The optimum H3PO4 concentration, optimum Co amount, and optimum impregnation time of the H3PO4 with the microalgae strain were investigated. The maximum hydrogen production rate for the 30% CoB catalyst supported on microalgae strain treated with H3PO4 was found to be 3940 mL min-lecatalyst. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis were performed for characterization of CoB catalyst supported on Spirulina microalgae strain. After four consecutive uses, the performance and conversion values of this catalyst were investigated. At the same time, the effect of temperature on the hydrogen production from this hydrolysis reaction was examined. The activation energy with the CoB catalyst supported on Spirulina microalgae strain was calculated as 35.25 kJ mol(-1). According to the kinetic model of a power law, n value was found as 0.25 for kinetic studies. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.