Carbon-supported platinum catalysts for on-site hydrogen generation from NaBH₄ solution

A flexible hydrogen generation (HG) method based on catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH₄ solution is developed. Carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C) samples served as the catalysts, and the catalytic strategies for hydrolysis of NaBH₄ solution are analyzed via the studies on apparent morphology, catalytic activity, BET surface, and sustaining H₂ supply test. Pt/C catalysts are proved to be excellent accelerators, and Pt-loading plays an important role in the hydrogen generation reactions. For a reactor loaded with 100 mg 13.1% Pt/C catalyst, when 10% NaBH₄-5% NaOH solution is pumped into the reactor with a speed of 10 ml/min, it can achieve a maximum HG rate of 29.6 (l/min/g catalyst), and give sustaining H₂ supply for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with an average HG rate of 23.0 (l/min/g catalyst).