Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Stabilized Ru0.57Co0.43 Nanoclusters as Extremely Efficient and Durable Catalysts for Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Methylamine Borane

Herein, we report the first ever eco-friendly and easy synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose-stabilized RuCo nanoclusters (Ru0.57Co0.43@CMC) and their use as highly efficient and durable catalysts to produce hydrogen from hydrolytic dehydrogenation of methylamine borane (MeAB). Ru0.57Co0.43@CMC nanoclusters are easily synthesized from synchronous chemical reduction of suitable water-soluble cobalt and ruthenium salts by sodium borohydride. They are identified by some advanced methods including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All related kinetic studies show that Ru0.57Co0.43@CMC nanoclusters are extremely efficient, relatively cost-saver, and durable catalysts in hydrolytic dehydrogenation of MeAB at very low temperatures. They provided the highest ever initial turnover frequency value of 327.1 min(-1) and also the apparent activation energy of 49.7 kJ/mol for the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of MeAB.