Copper oxide hollow spheres: Synthesis and catalytic application in hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane

Abstract In this paper, CuO hollow microspheres with different shell thickness and porosity have been synthesized using carbonaceous saccharide microspheres as templates according to a modified literature method. These CuO hollow microspheres were characterized and their catalytic properties in the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (NH 3 BH 3 , AB) were examined. A kinetic study indicated that a maximum hydrogen generation rate of 294 mL H 2 min −1 (g catalyst) −1 can be achieved at 45 ± 0.2 °C in the present system, which is comparable with that for other reported Cu based catalysts.