Nanostructured Ni 2 P as a Robust Catalyst for the Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Ammonia–Borane

Silica Confinement for Stable and Magnetic Co-Cu Alloy Nanoparticles in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution

Ammonia borane (AB) with 19.6 wt % H2 content is widely considered a safe and efficient medium for H2 storage and release. Co-based nanocatalysts present strong contenders for replacing precious metal-based catalysts in AB hydrolysis due to their high activity and cost-effectiveness. However, precisely adjusting the active centers and surface properties of Co-based nanomaterials to enhance their activity, as well as suppressing the migration and loss of metal atoms to improve their stability, presents many challenges. In this study, mesoporous-silica-confined bimetallic Co-Cu nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon (CoxCu1-x@NC@mSiO2) were synthesized using a facile mSiO2-confined thermal pyrolysis strategy. The obtained product, an optimized Co0.8Cu0.2@NC@mSiO2 catalyst, exhibits enhanced performance with a turnover frequency of 240.9 molH2 ⋅ molmetal ⋅ min-1 for AB hydrolysis at 298 K, surpassing most noble-metal-free catalysts. Moreover, Co0.8Cu0.2@NC@mSiO2 demonstrates magnetic recyclability and extraordinary stability, with a negligible decline of only 0.8 % over 30 cycles of use. This enhanced performance was attributed to the synergistic effect between Co and Cu, as well as silica confinement. This work proposes a promising method for constructing noble-metal-free catalysts for AB hydrolysis.

Deciphering Photoinduced Catalytic Reaction Mechanisms in Natural and Artificial Photosynthetic Systems on Multiple Temporal and Spatial Scales Using X-ray Probes

Utilization of renewable energies for catalytically generating value-added chemicals is highly desirable in this era of rising energy demands and climate change impacts. Artificial photosynthetic systems or photocatalysts utilize light to convert abundant CO2, H2O, and O2 to fuels, such as carbohydrates and hydrogen, thus converting light energy to storable chemical resources. The emergence of intense X-ray pulses from synchrotrons, ultrafast X-ray pulses from X-ray free electron lasers, and table-top laser-driven sources over the past decades opens new frontiers in deciphering photoinduced catalytic reaction mechanisms on the multiple temporal and spatial scales. Operando X-ray spectroscopic methods offer a new set of electronic transitions in probing the oxidation states, coordinating geometry, and spin states of the metal catalytic center and photosensitizers with unprecedented energy and time resolution. Operando X-ray scattering methods enable previously elusive reaction steps to be characterized on different length scales and time scales. The methodological progress and their application examples collected in this review will offer a glimpse into the accomplishments and current state in deciphering reaction mechanisms for both natural and synthetic systems. Looking forward, there are still many challenges and opportunities at the frontier of catalytic research that will require further advancement of the characterization techniques.

Cu2+@metal-organic framework-derived amphiphilic sandwich catalysts for enhanced hydrogenation selectivity of ketenes at the oil-water interface

Selective catalysis has always been an essential process for manufacturing various fine chemicals, such as food additives, pharmaceuticals and perfumes. Practically, pure target products are difficult to obtain even after complex purification procedures during industrial production. The development of a cost-effective, highly chemoselective and long-life catalyst may be an attractive solution, but such a catalyst is elusive. Herein, a novel class of amphiphilic N-doped carbon (NC), featuring graphitic carbon (GC) and highly dispersed Cu@Co NPs, was fabricated via simple calcination of a Cu2+-doped bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) precusor directly. Compared with monometallic Co@GC/NC, the side reaction of CO bond hydrogenation is obviously restrained, and thus, pure target product can be systematically obtained by Cu@Co@GC/NC, highlighting the high selectivity of Cu. More importantly, an amphiphilic characteristic in Cu@Co@GC/NC is a significant knob to integrate organic substrates with water very well. This amphiphilic material shows great potential as a field-deployable pathway for dispersible metal catalysts in organic systems.

Synergetic effect of Au nanoparticles and transition metal phosphides for enhanced hydrogen evolution from ammonia-borane

The hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane is intriguing but challenging due to its sluggish kinetics. In this regard, the gold nanoparticles amalgamation with metal phosphides is speculated to be more efficient catalysts. Here, the catalysts Au/Ni₂P and Au/CoP with the high synergetic effect of Au nanoparticles and metal phosphides were synthesized for ammonia borane hydrolysis. The activity of Au/Ni₂P increases 4.8-fold (i.e., 0.08 to 0.40 L∙h^-1) compared to pristine Ni₂P, and the activity of Au/CoP increases 1.7-fold (i.e., 0.74 to 1.27 L∙h^-1) compared to pristine CoP. This reveals that the synergetic effect of Au^δ+ and (Ni₂P) ^δ- is stronger than Au^δ+ and (CoP) ^δ- which is manifested by XPS analysis. The kinetics exposes that the activation energy of Au/Ni₂P (45.28 kJ∙mole^-1) is greater than Au/CoP (31.45 kJ∙mole^-1) and the TOF of Au/Ni₂P is less than Au/CoP. This research work presents an effective approach for producing active sites of Au^δ+ and (Ni₂P & CoP) ^δ- for ammonia borane hydrolysis to enhance the H₂ evolution rate.

Synergistic interface between metal Cu nanoparticles and CoO for highly efficient hydrogen production from ammonia borane

The development of efficient non-noble metal catalysts for the dehydrogenation of hydrogen (H₂) storage materials is highly desirable to enable the global production and storage of H₂ energy. In this study, Cu _x -(CoO)_1-x /TiO₂ catalysts with a Cu-CoO interface supported on TiO₂ are shown to exhibit high catalytic efficiency for ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃) hydrolysis to generate H₂. The best catalytic activity was observed for a catalyst with a Cu : Co molar ratio of 1 : 1. The highest dehydrogenation turnover frequency (TOF) of 104.0 mol_H2 mol_metal ^-1 min^-1 was observed in 0.2 M NaOH at room temperature, surpassing most of the TOFs reported for non-noble catalysts for NH₃BH₃ hydrolysis. Detailed characterisation of the catalysts revealed electronic interactions at the Cu-CoO heterostructured interface of the catalysts. This interface provides bifunctional synergetic sites for H₂ generation, where activation and adsorption of NH₃BH₃ and H₂O are accelerated on the surface of Cu and CoO, respectively. This study details an effective method of rationally designing non-noble metal catalysts for H₂ generation via a metal and transition-metal oxide interface.

Cobalt-Promoted Noble-Metal Catalysts for Efficient Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane Hydrolysis

Ammonia borane (AB) has been regarded as a promising material for chemical hydrogen storage. However, the development of efficient, cost-effective, and stable catalysts for H₂ generation from AB hydrolysis remains a bottleneck for realizing its practical application. Herein, a step-by-step reduction strategy has been developed to synthesize a series of bimetallic species with small sizes and high dispersions onto various metal oxide supports. Superior to other non-noble metal species, the introduction of Co species can remarkably and universally promote the catalytic activity of various noble metals (e.g., Pt, Rh, Ru, and Pd) in AB hydrolysis reactions. The optimized Pt_0.1%Co_3%/TiO₂ catalyst exhibits a superhigh H₂ generation rate from AB hydrolysis, showing a turnover frequency (TOF) value of 2250 mol_H2 mol_Pt^-1 min^-1 at 298 K. Such a TOF value is about 10 and 15 times higher than that of the monometal Pt/TiO₂ and commercial Pt/C catalysts, respectively. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation reveals that the synergy between Pt and CoO species can remarkably promote the chemisorption and dissociation of water molecules, accelerating the H₂ evolution from AB hydrolysis. Significantly, the representative Pt_0.25%Co_3%/TiO₂ catalyst exhibits excellent stability, achieving a record-high turnover number of up to 215,236 at room temperature. The excellent catalytic performance, superior stability, and low cost of the designed catalysts create new prospects for their practical application in chemical hydrogen storage.

Waste-biomass-derived activated carbon supported Co-Cu-P nanocatalysts for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane

Hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane is a significant and promising approach for on-site hydrogen production at ambient conditions, and developing highly efficient and low-cost catalysts has attracted considerable attention. Herein, waste-biomass-derived activated carbon (AC) was prepared by hydrothermal carbonization and alkali-assisted activation, and non-precious bimetal phosphides (Co-Cu-P) nanocatalysts with a series of different Co/Cu ratios were synthesized on the AC surface through in situ phosphidation method. Owing to the synergetic effects, the optimal Co_0.8Cu_0.2P/AC presents an outstanding turnover frequency of 26.5 min^-1 (25 °C), which is much higher than that of many reported catalysts. The reaction activation energy was measured to be 34.6 kJ mol^-1. Benefiting from the ferromagnetic nature of the phosphides, the Co_0.8Cu_0.2P/AC can be magnetically separated and reused again. After recycling six times, the catalyst still retains 72% of the initial activity, thus indicating great potential for practical applications.

Substrate-Gated Transformation of a Pre-Catalyst into an Iron-Hydride Intermediate [(NO)2(CO)Fe(μ-H)Fe(CO)(NO)2]- for Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Dimethylamine Borane

Continued efforts are made on the development of earth-abundant metal catalysts for dehydrogenation/hydrolysis of amine boranes. In this study, complex [K-18-crown-6-ether][(NO)₂Fe(μ-^MePyr)(μ-CO)Fe(NO)₂] (3-K-crown, ^MePyr = 3-methylpyrazolate) was explored as a pre-catalyst for the dehydrogenation of dimethylamine borane (DMAB). Upon evolution of H_2(g) from DMAB triggered by 3-K-crown, parallel conversion of 3-K-crown into [(NO)₂Fe(N,N'-^MePyrBH₂NMe₂)]^- (5) and an iron-hydride intermediate [(NO)₂(CO)Fe(μ-H)Fe(CO)(NO)₂]^- (A) was evidenced by X-ray diffraction/nuclear magnetic resonance/infrared/nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy experiments and supported by density functional theory calculations. Subsequent transformation of A into complex [(NO)₂Fe(μ-CO)₂Fe(NO)₂]^- (6) is synchronized with the deactivated generation of H_2(g). Through reaction of complex [Na-18-crown-6-ether][(NO)₂Fe(η²-BH₄)] (4-Na-crown) with CO_(g) as an alternative synthetic route, isolated intermediate [Na-18-crown-6-ether][(NO)₂(CO)Fe(μ-H)Fe(CO)(NO)₂] (A-Na-crown) featuring catalytic reactivity toward dehydrogenation of DMAB supports a substrate-gated transformation of a pre-catalyst [(NO)₂Fe(μ-^MePyr)(μ-CO)Fe(NO)₂]^- (3) into the iron-hydride species A as an intermediate during the generation of H_2(g).

Broadband Plasmonic NbN Photocatalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane under Visible-Near-Infrared Illumination

The superior light-harvesting ability of plasmonic metallic nanostructures makes them uniquely suitable for applications in the light-driven chemical transformations relevant to renewable fuels. Here we demonstrate the use of niobium nitride (NbN) nanostructures as a nonprecious plasmonic photocatalyst for the highly efficient H₂ generation from the hydrolytic decomposition of ammonia borane (AB). Porous nanostructured NbN with a hierarchical flower-like nanoarchitecture was synthesized to achieve strong broadband plasmonic absorption in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. The plasmonic NbN absorbers, when loaded with an optimized amount (∼2 wt %) of nanoparticulate Ni as the catalytic centers, show notably enhanced activity toward AB decomposition for H₂ evolution under both visible and NIR illumination, with the reaction rates being 4.6 (>420 nm) and 2.7 (>780 nm) times higher than that of the dark reaction. Further kinetic measurements and mechanistic investigations reveal that the photocatalytic activity originates from the plasmonic hot-carrier contributions.

The curious saga of dehydrogenation/hydrogenation for chemical hydrogen storage: a mechanistic perspective

Hydrogen storage is an indispensable component of hydrogen-based fuel economy. Chemical hydrogen storage relies on the development of lightweight compounds which can deliver high weight percentage of H₂ at moderate temperatures through dehydrogenation and can be recovered from the dehydrogenated mass by hydrogenation for reuse. In this feature article we primarily discuss the mechanistic underpinnings of the catalytic dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane, a potential candidate for hydrogen storage and the challenges associated with its regeneration from the dehydrogenated mass. Moreover, we highlight the mechanistic intricacies, viability, sustainability and unresolved issues of allied chemical hydrogen storage avenues such as the CH₃OH-CO₂ cycle.

NixP and Mn3O4 dual co-catalysts separately deposited on a g-C3N4/red phosphorus hybrid photocatalyst for an efficient hydrogen evolution

Through a two-step photo-deposition, reductive and oxidative non-noble co-catalysts separately deposited and facilitated a HER enhancement of 12.4.

Maximizing Metal-Support Interactions in Pt/Co3O4 Nanocages to Simultaneously Boost Hydrogen Production Activity and Durability

Catalytic hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) provides an effective way to generate pure H₂ at ambient temperature for fuel cells. Pt-based catalysts usually exhibit great initial activity toward this reaction but deactivate quickly. Here, we report that the metal-support interactions in Pt/Co₃O₄ nanocages can simultaneously accelerate the H₂ generation and enhance the catalyst's stability. The Pt/Co₃O₄ catalyst is made for the first time by embedding Pt clusters (∼1.2 nm) in a high-surface-area Co₃O₄ nanocage to maximize the metal-support interface. The turnover frequency of the Pt/Co₃O₄ catalyst is about nine times higher than that of commercial Pt/C and outperforms almost all other Pt-based catalysts. X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in situ spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations suggest that the Co₃O₄ nanocages with rich oxygen vacancies facilitate the adsorption and dissociation of H₂O to give electropositive H (H^δ+), while the in situ embedded Pt clusters can accelerate the formation of electronegative H (H^δ-) from AB. Subsequently, the H^δ+ and H^δ- spill over to the abundant interfacial sites and bond into H₂. In addition to this dual-function synergy effect, the strong metal-support electronic interactions between Co₃O₄ and Pt benefit the desorption of poisonous B-containing byproducts from Pt sites. This effect together with cluster anchoring leads to a fivefold enhancement in durability compared to commercial Pt/C. The metal-support interactions revealed in this study provide more options for catalyst design toward facile H₂ production from chemical hydrogen storage materials.

Rhodium nanoparticles confined in titania nanotubes for efficient Hydrogen evolution from Ammonia Borane

Designing efficient catalysts for hydrogen evolution from hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) have attracted considerable attention. Rhodium (Rh) based catalysts with rational design present remarkable catalytic performance for the reaction. Herein, we report the confined Rh@TiO₂ catalysts synthesized by atomic layer deposition combining with the sacrificial template approach, in which the Rh nanoparticles are uniformly confined on the inner surface of the porous titania nanotubes. The optimized catalysts show high catalytic activity with a turnover frequency value of 334.1 mol_H2·mol_Rh^-1·min^-1 and better durability. Mechanistic investigation demonstrates that the cleavage of OH bands in water should be the rate determining step, and the appropriate concentration of NaOH can further enhance the hydrogen evolution activity. The catalysts can also achieve the hydrogenation of various organic substrates using AB as the hydrogen source. In addition, our present strategy is general and can be extended to the synthesis of other confined catalysts for various catalytic reactions.

MOF-Directed Construction of Cu-Carbon and Cu@N-Doped Carbon as Superior Supports of Metal Nanoparticles toward Efficient Hydrogen Generation

The modulation of electronic behavior of metal-based catalysts is vital to optimize their catalytic performance. Herein, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are pyrolyzed to afford a series of different-structured Cu-carbon composites and Cu@N-doped carbon composites. Then a series of CO-resistant catalysts, namely, Co or Ni nanoparticles supported by the Cu-based composites, are synthesized for the hydrogen generation from aqueous NH3BH3. Their catalytic activities are boosted under light irradiation and regulated by the compositions and the fine structures of doped N species with pyridine, pyrrole, and graphitic configurations in the composite supports. Particularly, the optimized Co-based catalyst with the highest graphitic N content exhibits a high activity, achieving a total turnover frequency (TOF) value of 210 min-1, which is higher than all the reported unprecious catalysts. Further investigations verify that the light-driven synergistic electron effect of plasmonic Cu-based composites and Co nanoparticles accounts for the high-performance hydrogen generation.

The Hydrogen-Storage Challenge: Nanoparticles for Metal-Catalyzed Ammonia Borane Dehydrogenation

Dihydrogen is one of the sustainable energy vectors envisioned for the future. However, the rapidly reversible and secure storage of large quantities of hydrogen is still a technological and scientific challenge. In this context, this review proposes a recent state-of-the-art on H₂ production capacities from the dehydrogenation reaction of ammonia borane (and selected related amine-boranes) as a safer solid source of H₂ by hydrolysis (or solvolysis), catalyzed by nanoparticle-based systems. The review groups the results according to the transition metals constituting the catalyst with a mention to their current cost and availability. This includes the noble metals Rh, Pd, Pt, Ru, Ag, as well as cheaper Co, Ni, Cu, and Fe. For each element, the monometallic and polymetallic structures are presented and the performances are described in terms of turnover frequency and recyclability. The structure-property links are highlighted whenever possible. It appears from all these works that the mastery of the preparation of catalysts remains a crucial point both in terms of process, and control and understanding of the electronic structures of the elaborated nanomaterials. A particular effort of the scientific community remains to be made in this multidisciplinary field with major societal stakes.

A novel worm-like micelles@MOFs precursor for constructing hierarchically porous CoP/N-doped carbon networks towards efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Constructing electrocatalysts with plentiful active sites, great mass transfer ability, and high electrical conductivity is critical to realize efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Hierarchically porous cobalt phosphide/N-doped nanotubular carbon networks (CoP/NCNs) that have all the features were fabricated in this work. For the fabrication, the polymeric worm-like micelles (PWs) with a large aspect ratio were coated by a uniform nanolayer of Zn-Co zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (Zn-Co-ZIFs) on their surface, resulting in the hybrid nanofibers PWs@Zn-Co-ZIFs (HPWs). Inheriting the randomly curved and entanglement properity of PWs, the rigid HPWs formed hybrid networks with the packing voids sized tens to 200 nm. Then, the hybrid networks were treated by pyrolysis-oxidation-phosphidation and ZnO-removal processes, leading to the hierarchically porous CoP/NCNs. In the CoP/NCNs, there are plentiful CoP nanoparticles embedded on the surface of conductive carbon network and fully exposed. When used for HER electrocatalyst, the CoP/NCNs only need small overpotentials (98 and 118 mV in acid and alkaline electrolyte) at 10 mA cm^-2. This novel strategy is instructive for tailoring hierarchically porous transition metal phosphide/carbon nanocomposites as promising electrocatalysts.

Mechanistic Insight into the Synergetic Interaction of Ammonia Borane and Water on ZIF-67-Derived Co@Porous Carbon for Controlled Generation of Dihydrogen

Regarding dihydrogen as a clean and renewable energy source, ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃, AB) was considered as a chemical H₂-storage and H₂-delivery material due to its high storage capacity of dihydrogen (19.6 wt %) and stability at room temperature. To advance the development of efficient and recyclable catalysts for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB with parallel insight into the reaction mechanism, herein, ZIF-67-derived fcc-Co@porous carbon nano/microparticles (cZIF-67_nm/cZIF-67_μm) were explored to promote catalytic dehydrogenation of AB and generation of H_2(g). According to kinetic and computational studies, zero-order dependence on the concentration of AB, first-order dependence on the concentration of cZIF-67_nm (or cZIF-67_μm), and a kinetic isotope effect value of 2.45 (or 2.64) for H₂O/D₂O identify the Co-catalyzed cleavage of the H-OH bond, instead of the H-BH₂NH₃ bond, as the rate-determining step in the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB. Despite the absent evolution of H_2(g) in the reaction of cZIF-67 and AB in the organic solvents (i.e., THF or CH₃OH) or in the reaction of cZIF-67 and water, Co-mediated activation of AB and formation of a Co-H intermediate were evidenced by theoretical calculation, infrared spectroscopy in combination with an isotope-labeling experiment, and reactivity study toward CO₂-to-formate/H₂O-to-H₂ conversion. Moreover, the computational study discovers a synergistic interaction between AB and the water cluster (H₂O)₉ on fcc-Co, which shifts the splitting of water into an exergonic process and lowers the thermodynamic barrier for the generation and desorption of H_2(g) from the Co-H intermediates. With the kinetic and mechanistic study of ZIF-67-derived Co@porous carbon for catalytic hydrolysis of AB, the spatiotemporal control on the generation of H_2(g) for the treatment of inflammatory diseases will be further investigated in the near future.

Amine-Boranes as Transfer Hydrogenation and Hydrogenation Reagents: A Mechanistic Perspective

Transfer hydrogenation (TH) has historically been dominated by Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reactions. However, with growing interest in amine-boranes, not least ammonia-borane (H3 N⋅BH3 ), as potential hydrogen storage materials, these compounds have also started to emerge as an alternative reagent in TH reactions. In this Review we discuss TH chemistry using H3 N⋅BH3 and their analogues (amine-boranes and metal amidoboranes) as sacrificial hydrogen donors. Three distinct pathways were considered: 1) classical TH, 2) nonclassical TH, and 3) hydrogenation. Simple experimental mechanistic probes can be employed to distinguish which pathway is operating and computational analysis can corroborate or discount mechanisms. We find that the pathway in operation can be perturbed by changing the temperature, solvent, amine-borane, or even the substrate used in the system, and subsequently assignment of the mechanism can become nontrivial.

Ultrafine RhNi Nanocatalysts Confined in Hollow Mesoporous Carbons for a Highly Efficient Hydrogen Production from Ammonia Borane

Ammonia borane (AB) has received growing research interest as one of the most promising hydrogen-storage carrier materials. However, fast dehydrogenation of AB is still limited by sluggish catalytic kinetics over current catalysts. Herein, highly uniform and ultrafine bimetallic RhNi alloy nanoclusters encapsulated within nitrogen-functionalized hollow mesoporous carbons (defined as RhNi@NHMCs) are developed as highly active, durable, and selective nanocatalysts for fast hydrolysis of AB under mild conditions. Remarkable activity with a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 1294 mol_H2 mol_Rh^-1 min^-1 and low activation energy (E_a) of 18.6 kJ mol^-1 is observed at room temperature, surpassing the previous Rh-based catalysts. The detailed mechanism studies reveal that when catalyzed by RhNi@NHMCs, a covalently stable O-H bond by H₂O first cleaves in electropositive H* and further attacks B-H bond of AB to stoichiometrically produce 3 equiv of H₂, whose catalytic kinetics is restricted by the oxidation cleavage of the O-H bond. Compositional and structural features of RhNi@NHMCs result in synergic electronic, functional, and support add-in advantages, kinetically accelerating the cleavage of the attacked H₂O (O-H bond) and remarkably promoting the catalytic hydrolysis of AB accordingly. This present work represents a new and effective strategy for exploring high-performance supported metal-based alloy nanoclusters for (electro)catalysis.

Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane Attained by Ru-Based Catalysts: An Auspicious Option to Produce Hydrogen from a Solid Hydrogen Carrier Molecule

Chemical hydrogen storage stands as a promising option to conventional storage methods. There are numerous hydrogen carrier molecules that afford satisfactory hydrogen capacity. Among them, ammonia borane has attracted great interest due to its high hydrogen capacity. Great efforts have been devoted to design and develop suitable catalysts to boost the production of hydrogen from ammonia borane, which is preferably attained by Ru catalysts. The present review summarizes some of the recent Ru-based heterogeneous catalysts applied in the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane, paying particular attention to those supported on carbon materials and oxides.

Nanostructured metal phosphides: from controllable synthesis to sustainable catalysis

Metal phosphides (MPs) with unique and desirable physicochemical properties provide promising potential in practical applications, such as the catalysis, gas/humidity sensor, environmental remediation, and energy storage fields, especially for transition metal phosphides (TMPs) and MPs consisting of group IIIA and IVA metal elements. Most studies, however, on the synthesis of MP nanomaterials still face intractable challenges, encompassing the need for a more thorough understanding of the growth mechanism, strategies for large-scale synthesis of targeted high-quality MPs, and practical achievement of functional applications. This review aims at providing a comprehensive update on the controllable synthetic strategies for MPs from various metal sources. Additionally, different passivation strategies for engineering the structural and electronic properties of MP nanostructures are scrutinized. Then, we showcase the implementable applications of MP-based materials in emerging sustainable catalytic fields including electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, mild thermocatalysis, and related hybrid systems. Finally, we offer a rational perspective on future opportunities and remaining challenges for the development of MPs in the materials science and sustainable catalysis fields.

Recent developments of nanocatalyzed liquid-phase hydrogen generation

Hydrogen is the most effective and sustainable carrier of clean energy, and liquid-phase hydrogen storage materials with high hydrogen content, reversibility and good dehydrogenation kinetics are promising in view of "hydrogen economy". Efficient, low-cost, safe and selective hydrogen generation from chemical storage materials remains challenging, however. In this Review article, an overview of the recent achievements is provided, addressing the topic of nanocatalysis of hydrogen production from liquid-phase hydrogen storage materials including metal-boron hydrides, borane-nitrogen compounds, and liquid organic hydrides. The state-of-the-art catalysts range from high-performance nanocatalysts based on noble and non-noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) to emerging single-atom catalysts. Key aspects that are discussed include insights into the dehydrogenation mechanisms, regenerations from the spent liquid chemical hydrides, and tandem reactions using the in situ generated hydrogen. Finally, challenges, perspectives, and research directions for this area are envisaged.

Activating Co nanoparticles on graphitic carbon nitride by tuning the Schottky barrier via P doping for the efficient dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane

A highly active Mott–Schottky nanocatalyst for the efficient dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane was constructed by rationally tuning the Schottky barrier of Co/P_xCN (P-doped g-C₃N₄) via simply varying the doping amount of P atoms.

Highly efficient hydrogen production from hydrolysis of ammonia borane over nanostructured Cu@CuCoOx supported on graphene oxide

Designing highly efficient and cheap nanocatalysts for room-temperature hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) is of great significance for their real application in hydrogen (H₂)-based fuel cells. Here, we report a kind of noble metal (NM)-free hybrid nanocatalysts composed of heterostructured Cu@CuCoO_x nanoparticles and a graphene oxide support (denoted as Cu@CuCoO_x@GO) and demonstrate their high catalytic performance toward the hydrolysis of AB. By rationally controlling synthetic parameters, we find that optimum Cu_0.3@Cu_0.7CoO_x@GO achieves a superior catalytic activity with a turnover frequency of 44.6 mol_H2 mol_M^-1 min^-1 in H₂O and 98.2 mol_H2 mol_M^-1 min^-1 in 0.2 M NaOH, better than most of previously reported NM-free nanocatalysts. This catalyst also discloses a very low activation energy (E_a) of 35.4 kJ mol^-1. The studies on catalytic kinetics and isotopic experiments attribute the high activity to synergistically structural and compositional advantages of Cu_0.3@Cu_0.7CoO_x@GO, which kinetically accelerates the oxidative cleavage of OH bond in attacked H₂O (the rate-determining step of the hydrolysis of AB). This study thus provides an opportunity for rational design of cheap NM-free nanocatalysts for H₂ production from chemical H₂-storage materials.

Synthesis of a binary alloy nanoparticle catalyst with an immiscible combination of Rh and Cu assisted by hydrogen spillover on a TiO2 support

This work demonstrated the use of TiO2 as a promising platform for the synthesis of non-equilibrium RhCu binary alloy nanoparticles (NPs). These metals are regarded as immiscible based on their phase diagram but form NPs with the aid of the significant hydrogen spillover on TiO2 with concurrent proton-electron transfer. The resulting RhCu/TiO2 exhibited 2.6 times higher catalytic activity than Rh/TiO2 during hydrogen production from the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB), due to a synergistic effect. Theoretical simulations showed a higher energy value for the adsorption of AB on the RhCu alloy and a lower activation energy for the rate determining N-B bond dissociation by the attack of H2O during AB hydrolysis compared to monometallic Rh. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the formation of RhCu alloy NPs with a mean diameter of 2.0 nm on the TiO2. H2-temperature programmed reduction and in situ X-ray absorption fine structure analyses at elevated temperature under H2 demonstrated that Rh3+ and Cu2+ precursors were simultaneously reduced only on the TiO2 support. This effect resulted from the improved and limited reducibility of Cu2+ and Rh3+, respectively. The rate of hydrogen spillover of TiO2 is faster as compared to γ-Al2O3 and MgO as evidenced by sequential H2/D2 exchanges during in situ Fourier transform infrared analyses. Density functional theory calculations also showed that the migration of H atoms on TiO2 proceeds with a lower energy barrier than that on Al2O3, and the reduction of Cu2+ species is facilitated by H spillover on the support rather than by direct reduction by H2. These results confirm the vital role of TiO2 in the formation of the alloy and may represent a new strategy for the synthesis of different non-equilibrium solid solution alloys.

Electrons and Hydroxyl Radicals Synergistically Boost the Catalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Ammonia Borane over Single Nickel Phosphides under Visible Light Irradiation

From the perspective of tailoring the reaction pathways of photogenerated charge carriers and intermediates to remarkably enhance the solar‐to‐hydrogen energy conversion efficiency, we synthesized the three low‐cost semiconducting nickel phosphides Ni₂P, Ni₁₂P₅ and Ni₃P, which singly catalyzed the hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃) in the alkaline aqueous solution under visible light irradiation at 298 K. The systematic investigations showed that all the catalysts had higher activities under visible light irradiation than in the dark and Ni₂P had the highest photocatalytic activity with the initial turnover frequency (TOF) value of 82.7 min⁻¹, which exceeded the values of reported metal phosphides at 298 K. The enhanced activities of nickel phosphides were attributed to the visible‐light‐driven synergistic effect of photogenerated electrons (e⁻) and hydroxyl radicals (^.OH), which came from the oxidation of hydroxide anions by photogenerated holes. This was verified by the fluorescent spectra and the capture experiments of photogenerated electrons and holes as well as hydroxyl radicals in the catalytic hydrogen evolution process.

Pd-Ru nanocatalysts derived from a Pd-induced aerogel for dramatic boosting of hydrogen release

Alloyed bimetallic Pd-Ru nanocatalysts prepared by in situ reduction of a mixture of a Ru(iii) source and a Pd(ii)@alkyne-PVA aerogel and characterized by TEM and XPS exhibit very highly catalytic activity towards hydrogen release from ammonia borane hydrolysis with a TOF value of 578.2 mol_H2 mol_cat^-1 min^-1.

Ultrafine Rh nanoparticles confined by nitrogen-rich covalent organic frameworks for methanolysis of ammonia borane

An Rh/PC-COF was synthesized using a metal–nitrogen coordination reduction strategy and was applied as a highly efficient catalyst for methanolysis of ammonia borane.

Noble-metal-free nanocatalysts for hydrogen generation from boron- and nitrogen-based hydrides

We focus on the recent advances in non-noble metal catalyst design, synthesis and applications in dehydrogenation of chemical hydrides (e.g. NaBH₄, NH₃BH₃, NH₃, N₂H₄, N₂H₄BH₃) due to their high hydrogen contents and CO-free H₂ production.

Monodisperse nanoparticles for catalysis and nanomedicine

The growth and breadth of nanoparticle (NP) research now encompasses many scientific and technologic fields, which has driven the want to control NP dimensions, structures and properties. Recent advances in NP synthesis, especially in solution phase synthesis, and characterization have made it possible to tune NP sizes and shapes to optimize NP properties for various applications. In this review, we summarize the general concepts of using solution phase chemistry to control NP nucleation and growth for the formation of monodisperse NPs with polyhedral, cubic, octahedral, rod, or wire shapes and complex multicomponent heterostructures. Using some representative examples, we demonstrate how to use these monodisperse NPs to tune and optimize NP catalysis of some important energy conversion reactions, such as the oxygen reduction reaction, electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction, and cascade dehydrogenation/hydrogenation for the formation of functional organic compounds under greener chemical reaction conditions. Monodisperse NPs with controlled surface chemistry, morphologies and magnetic properties also show great potential for use in biomedicine. We highlight how monodisperse iron oxide NPs are made biocompatible and target-specific for biomedical imaging, sensing and therapeutic applications. We intend to provide readers some concrete evidence that monodisperse NPs have been established to serve as successful model systems for understanding structure-property relationships at the nanoscale and further to show great potential for advanced nanotechnological applications.

A Simple and Efficient Device and Method for Measuring the Kinetics of Gas-Producing Reactions

We present a new device for quantifying gases or gas mixtures based on the simple principle of bubble counting. With this device, we can follow reaction kinetics down to volume step sizes of 8–12 μL. This enables the accurate determination of both time and size of these gas quanta, giving a very detailed kinetic analysis. We demonstrate this method and device using ammonia borane hydrolysis as a model reaction, obtaining Arrhenius plots with over 300 data points from a single experiment. Our device not only saves time and avoids frustration, but also offers more insight into reaction kinetics and mechanistic studies. Moreover, its simplicity and low cost open opportunities for many lab applications.

Ultra-small Rh nanoparticles supported on WO3-x nanowires as efficient catalysts for visible-light-enhanced hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane

Hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) is a safe and convenient means of H₂ production when efficient catalysts are used. Here we report a facile one-pot solvothermal method to synthesize Rh/WO_3-x hybrid nanowires. Ultra-small Rh nanoparticles with an average size of ∼1.7 nm were tightly anchored on WO_3-x nanowires. Rh/WO_3-x catalysts exhibited substantially enhanced activity for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB under both dark and visible light irradiation conditions relative to mixed Rh nanoparticles and WO_3-x nanowires (Rh + WO_3-x ), and Rh/C and WO_3-x nanowires. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the synergistic effect between Rh nanoparticles and WO_3-x nanowires was responsible for such an enhancement in activity. Specifically, Rh/WO_3-x achieved the highest turnover frequency (TOF) with a value of 805.0 mol_H2 mol_Rh ^-1 min^-1 at room temperature under visible light irradiation. The H₂ release rate as a function of reaction time exhibited a volcano plot under visible light irradiation, indicating that a self-activation process occurred in the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB due to additional oxygen vacancies arising from in situ reduction of WO_3-x nanowires by AB, and thus an enhanced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Such a self-activation process was responsible for the enhanced catalytic activity under visible light irradiation relative to that under dark conditions, which was supported by the lower activation energy (45.2 vs. 50.5 kJ mol^-1). In addition, Rh/WO_3-x catalysts were relatively stable with only little loss in activity after five cycles due to the tight attachment between two components.

Ni0.5Cu0.5Co2O4 Nanocomposites, Morphology, Controlled Synthesis, and Catalytic Performance in the Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane for Hydrogen Production

The catalytic hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) is a promising route to produce hydrogen for mobile hydrogen‒oxygen fuel cells. In this study, we have successfully synthesized a variety of Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ nanocomposites with different morphology, including nanoplatelets, nanoparticles, and urchin-like microspheres. The catalytic performance of those Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ composites in AB hydrolysis is investigated. The Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ nanoplatelets show the best catalytic performance despite having the smallest specific surface area, with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 80.2 mol_hydrogen·min^-1·mol^-1_cat. The results reveal that, in contrast to the Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ nanoparticles and microspheres, the Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ nanoplatelets are more readily reduced, leading to the fast formation of active species for AB hydrolysis. These findings provide some insight into the design of high-performance oxide-based catalysts for AB hydrolysis. Considering their low cost and high catalytic activity, Ni_0.5Cu_0.5Co₂O₄ nanoplatelets are a strong candidate catalyst for the production of hydrogen through AB hydrolysis in practical applications.

Cu0.4Co0.6MoO4 Nanorods Supported on Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a Highly Active Catalyst for the Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane

As a typical chemical hydride, ammonia borane (AB) has received extensive attention because of its safety and high hydrogen storage capacity. The aim of this work was to develop a cost-efficient and highly reactive catalyst for hydrolyzing AB. Herein, we synthesized a series of CuxCo1–xMoO4 dispersed on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) to dehydrogenate AB. Among those CuxCo1–xMoO4/g-C3N4 catalysts, Cu0.4Co0.6MoO4/g-C3N4 exhibited the highest site time yield (STY) value of 75.7 m o l H 2 m o l c a t − 1   m i n − 1 with a low activation energy of 14.46 kJ mol−1. The STY value for Cu0.4Co0.6MoO4/g-C3N4 was about 4.3 times as high as that for the unsupported Cu0.4Co0.6MoO4, indicating that the g-C3N4 support plays a crucial role in improving the catalytic activity. Considering its low cost and high catalytic activity, our Cu0.4Co0.6MoO4/g-C3N4 catalyst is a strong candidate for AB hydrolysis for hydrogen production in practical applications.

Shape-Controlled Dodecaborate Supramolecular Organic-Framework-Supported Ultrafine Trimetallic PtCoNi for Catalytic Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane

On the basis of the unique chaotropic supramolecular assembly of cucurbit[5]uril (CB5) and dodecahydro- closo-dodecaborate anion [ closo-B₁₂H₁₂]^2-, we have developed an efficient and universal platform to fabricate shape-controlled dodecaborate-based supramolecular organic frameworks (BOFs) decorated with ultrafine monodispersed trimetallic alloys. Simply by regulating the molar ratio of CB5 and [ closo-B₁₂H₁₂]^2-, a series of fascinating morphologies, such as flowerlike structures, nanorods, nanocubes, and nanosheets, were successfully constructed. These obtained BOFs were proved to be good substrate supports for in situ synthesis of trimetallic PtCoNi nanoalloys, where the final PtCoNi-BOFs materials were obtained efficiently as a precipitate from aqueous solutions, and showed excellent catalytic performance in ammonia borane hydrolysis with a high turnover frequency of 1490 mol_H2 mol_Pt^-1 min^-1 and a low activation energy of 15.79 kJ mol^-1.

Synergetic Effect of Ultrasmall Metal Clusters and Zeolites Promoting Hydrogen Generation

Taking advantage of the synergetic effect of confined ultrasmall metal clusters and zeolite frameworks is an efficient strategy for improving the catalytic performance of metal nanocatalysts. Herein, it is demonstrated that the synergetic effect of ultrasmall ruthenium (Ru) clusters and intrinsic Brønsted acidity of zeolite frameworks can significantly promote the hydrogen generation of ammonia borane (AB) hydrolysis. Ultrasmall Ru clusters are embedded onto the silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-34 (CHA) and various aluminosilicate zeolites (MFI, *BEA, and FAU) with tunable acidities by a facile incipient wetness impregnation method. Evidenced by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, the sub-nanometric Ru clusters are uniformly distributed throughout the zeolite crystals. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements reveal the existence of Ru-H species between Ru clusters and adjacent Brønsted acid sites of zeolites, which could synergistically activate AB and water molecules, significantly enhancing the hydrogen evolution rate of AB hydrolysis. Notably, the Ru/SAPO-34-0.8Si (Si/Al = 0.8) and Ru/FAU (Si/Al = 30) catalysts with strong acidities afford high turnover frequency values up to 490 and 627 min-1, respectively. These values are more than a 13-fold enhancement than that of the commercial Ru/C catalyst, and among the top level over other heterogeneous catalysts tested under similar conditions.

Highly Active Ni- and Co-Based Bimetallic Catalysts for Hydrogen Production From Ammonia-Borane

Ammonia-borane is one of the most promising candidates for hydrogen carriers. A series of Ni- and Co-based bimetallic catalysts supported on SiO₂ (Ni–M/SiO₂ and Co–M/SiO₂; M = Ga, Ge, Sn, Zn) was prepared and tested as catalysts for hydrogen production from ammonia-borane (AB) in water or methanol. Ni–Zn/SiO₂ and Co–Ge/SiO₂ exhibited catalytic activities much higher than those of monometallic Ni/SiO₂ and Co/SiO₂, respectively. Ni–Zn/SiO₂ showed a high catalytic activity when water was used as a solvent, where the reaction was completed within 6 min at room temperature with a specific reaction rate of 4.3 ml min⁻¹ mmol-cat⁻¹ mM-AB⁻¹. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest value among those reported using 3d metal-based catalysts. Co–Ge/SiO₂ afforded a five-fold higher reaction rate than that of the corresponding monometallic Co/SiO₂. XRD, TEM, and HAADF-STEM-EDS analyses revealed that Ni_0.75Zn_0.25 and Co_0.8Ge_0.2 solid-solution alloys were formed with high phase purities. An XPS study showed that Co atoms in Co_0.8Ge_0.2 were electron-enriched due to electron transfer from Ge to Co, which may be the origin of the improved catalytic activity.