Developing Effective Cobalt Catalysts for Hydrogen-Generating Solid-State NaBH 4 Composite

Hydrogen-generating solid-state NaBH4 composite are promising systems for storing and transporting hydrogen intended for use in low-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Catalysts are introduced into the composites to ensure the generation of hydrogen at ambient temperatures. In this work, the effect of the synthesis conditions for cobalt catalyst on the gas generation rate is analyzed. It is found that the efficiency of hydrogen generation depends on the nature of the cobalt salt and pH of the aqueous solution of the salt in which the active component precursor is reduced under the action of sodium borohydride because these factors determine the composition, degree of dispersion, and magnetic behavior of the cobalt systems. It is found that the highest rate of gas generation—505 cm3/min per gram of the composite with a hydrogen content of 8.4 wt %—is observed for a sample reduced with sodium borohydride in a hydrochloric acid solution of cobalt chloride with a pH of 1.3. The results can be used to develop effective inexpensive cobalt catalysts for the production of hydrogen from pelletized solid-state NaBH4 composite.