One-step synthesis of magnetically recyclable rGO supported Cu@Co core–shell nanoparticles: highly efficient catalysts for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane and methylamine borane

Ammonia-borane, H3NBH3, is an intriguing molecule for chemical hydrogen storage applications. With both protic N-H and hydridic B-H bonds, three H atoms per main group element, and a low molecular weight, H3NBH3 has the potential to meet the stringent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacity targets needed for transportation applications. Furthermore, devising an energy-efficient chemical process to regenerate H3NBH3 from dehydrogenated BNHx material is an important step towards realization of a sustainable transportation fuel. In this perspective we discuss current progress in catalysis research to control the rate and extent of hydrogen release and preliminary efforts at regeneration of H3NBH3.

The emergence of a Hydrogen Economy will require the development of new media capable of safely storing hydrogen in a compact and light weight package. Metal hydrides and complex hydrides, where hydrogen is chemically bonded to the metal atoms in the bulk, offer some hope of overcoming the challenges associated with hydrogen storage. The objective is to find a material with a high volumetric and gravimetric hydrogen density that can also meet the unique demands of a low temperature automotive fuel cell. Currently, there is considerable effort to develop new materials with tunable thermodynamic and kinetic properties. This tutorial review provides an overview of the different types of metal hydrides and complex hydrides being investigated for on-board (reversible) and off-board (non-reversible) hydrogen storage along with a few new approaches to improving the hydrogenation-dehydrogenation properties.