Catalytic activity, chemical composition, and structure of Ni-Re-B, Ni-Mo-B, and Ni-W-B alloys obtained by chemical-catalytic reduction of metal ions were studied. Introduction of a doping element into the nickel-boron alloy changes the catalytic activity of the alloy surface as regards concurrent partial reactions of heterogeneous hydrolysis of dimethylamine borane, reduction of nickel atoms, evolution of molecular hydrogen, boron, and carbon. The aim of the work was to elucidate the causes for nonlinear, bell-shaped dependence of partial rates of dimethylamine borane hydrolysis and hydrogen evolution on the concentration of the doping element in the alloy. The structure and uniformity of distribution of elements in the coatings were evaluated. Estimation of the grain size in the deposits based on the broadening of reflex (111) evidences the nanocrystalline structure of the obtained alloys. The minimum grain size (<20 nm) corresponds to the doping element concentration within the alloy with the maximum catalytic activity. Boron content in the alloys decreases at an increase in the doping element concentration. The observed acceleration of the heterogeneous reaction of dimethylamine borane hydrolysis is explained by a change in the catalytic activity of the coating surface as a result of the subsystem restructuring during the formation of an alloy between nickel and the doping element.
