Active 3D Pd/graphene aerogel catalyst for hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of ammonia-borane

In this work, a novel three dimensional (3D) Pd/graphene aerogel hybrid was successfully synthesized and characterized. The preparation process of the Pd/graphene aerogel was also discussed systematically. Experimental results indicated that this kind of 3D Pd/graphene aerogel hybrid exhibited excellent catalytic activity on the ammonia borane hydrolysis to release hydrogen with the turnover frequency value of 9.70 mol(H2)mol(metal)(-1)min(-1), and activation energy E-a value of 30.82 kJ/mol, which is higher than that of 2D Pd/RGO and original Pd nanoparticles. Furthermore, the abundant defects of graphene aerogel support can transfer the electrons of Pd nanoparticles to graphene aerogel due to the metal-support interaction, which is beneficial to the ammonia borane hydrolysis reaction. In addition, the pore-rich 3D Pd/graphene aerogel has offered huge effective reacting acreages for ammonia borane hydrolysis, which is helpful for its reusability. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.