The hydrolysis of tert-butylamine borane by using Ni-Zr-B-O catalyst for hydrogen production

This study focuses on the catalytic hydrolysis of tert-butylamine borane (TBAB, C₄H₉NH₂BH₃) with Ni-Zr-B-O. For this aim, catalyst mixture was prepared by co-precipitation method using NaBH₄. The effect of temperature and catalyst amount on the hydrolysis of TBAB was examined. It has been observed that for each catalyst amounts, an increase at the temperature significantly increases the hydrogen production yield and reduces the reaction time as well. Similar results were also observed in each catalyst amounts when the temperature was kept constant. The maximum yield of the hydrogen production was found as 2.94 mol H₂/mol TBAB (98% ) at 55ºC temperature, having 0.05 g catalysis in 656 seconds. Reaction enthalpy (∆H⁺⁺) and entropy (∆S⁺⁺) and turnover frequency value were calculated as 46.06 kJ mol^-1-189.05 J mol^-1 K^-1 and 789 mol H₂ mol Ni^-1 min^-1 respectively. Finally, catalyst characterization was done by XRD and XPS and Ni average crystalline size was found as 29.8 nm from Scherrer equation.