Utilization of Co@CoO nanoparticles incorporated on sulphur-doped activated carbon derived from biomass waste for efficient hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride methanolysis

Abstract

This study explores the superior hydrogen (H2) generation performance of Co@CoO nanoparticles incorporated on sulphur-doped activated carbon derived from biomass (Co/CoO@S-doped BPAC) via the methanolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The catalyst synthesis involves the fabrication of sulphur-doped activated carbon from biomass waste, followed by the deposition of Co@CoO nanoparticles, leveraging the synergistic effect of sulphur doping and cobalt-based active sites to enhance catalytic efficiency. With S-doped BPAC and Co/CoO@S-doped BPAC, there is a very significant improvement of about 4-fold with hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 5574 and 22,806 mL/min/gcat, respectively. The activation energy (Ea) is 27.84 kJ/mol. Analytical methods are commonly used to evaluate the structure of composites. Comprehensive structural, morphological, and surface characterizations (e.g., XRD, EDS, FTIR, SEM, TEM, XPS, BET) will be conducted to evaluate the catalyst properties. The study will systematically investigate the hydrogen generation rate, activation energy, and reusability of the catalyst under various reaction conditions, aiming for high efficiency and durability. The findings contribute to the development of high-performance, sustainable catalysts for clean H2 production. The possible reaction mechanism of this reaction with the corresponding catalyst is also elucidated.