A durable cobalt catalyst supported on Ni foam coated with Al2O3 for hydrogen generation from NaBH4 hydrolysis

A durable cobalt catalyst supported on Ni foam coated with Al2O3 (Co/Al2O3-Ni foam) is developed and analyzed using various analytical methods. In addition, the catalyst is tested to investigate the effects of the Al2O3 coating cycle, Co reduction cycle, and reaction temperature on hydrogen generation from NaBH4 hydrolysis. The Al2O3 coating cycle considerably affects hydrogen generation and the catalyst area required for a hydrogen generation rate of 1 L/min. However, the Co reduction cycle and reaction temperature slightly affect hydrogen generation and the catalyst area required for a hydrogen generation rate of 1 L/min. The catalyst exhibits an apparent activation energy of 64.3 kJ/mol, which is relatively higher than those of the other catalysts. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibits durability comparable to that of other catalysts. Thus, the Co/Al2O3-Ni foam catalyst with high apparent activation energy and comparable catalytic durability is suitable for the NaBH4 hydrogen generation system.