Utilisation of Cu2O/CuO@N, O doped catalysts on activated carbon particles derived from biological wastes for highly active hydrogen production with sodium borohydride methanolysis

Despite the significant advantages of hydrogen (H2) production via sodium borohydride (SB, NaBH4) methanolysis, it is important to further develop this reaction with more efficient and cost-effective catalysts. Here, in the first stage, pomegranate peels, which are widely consumed in the world and Turkey, were evaluated in the production of activated carbon as biowaste (PPAC). In the second stage, the obtained PPAC was hydrothermally treated with nitric acid for O atom doping on the surface (O-doped PAC). In the third stage, Cu2O/CuO and N atoms particles were doped on the O-doped PPAC by hydrothermal method (Cu2O/CuO@N, O-doped PPAC). These Cu2O/CuO@N, O doped PPAC nanoparticles were used for the first time for effective H2 production from NaBH4 methanolysis(SB/ H2P). The active regions obtained based on Cu2O, CuO, N, and O particles on the carbon support exhibited HGR values of 4775 and 40622 mL/min/gcat for PPAC and Cu2O/CuO@N, O-doped PPAC, respectively. A significant increase of approximately eight times was achieved in the hydrogen generation rate (HGR) value. The XPS, EDS, and FTIR analyses successfully confirmed both CuO particles and O, N atoms doping into the PPAC structure. The activation energy for this reaction was 29.45 kJ/mol.