Interface electron collaborative migration of Co-Co3O4/carbon dots: Boosting the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane

Ammonia borane (AB) is an excellent candidate for the chemical storage of hydrogen. However, its practical utilization for hydrogen production is hindered by the need for expensive noble-metal-based catalysts. Herein, we report Co–Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) facilely deposited on carbon dots (CDs) as a highly efficient, robust, and noble-metal-free catalyst for the hydrolysis of AB. The incorporation of the multi-interfaces between Co, Co3O4 NPs, and CDs endows this hybrid material with excellent catalytic activity (rB = 6816mLH min–1 gCo–1) exceeding that of previous non-noble-metal NP systems and even that of some noble-metal NP systems. A further mechanistic study suggests that these interfacial interactions can affect the electronic structures of interfacial atoms and provide abundant adsorption sites for AB and water molecules, resulting in a low energy barrier for the activation of reactive molecules and thus substantial improvement of the catalytic rate. © 2020