PdCo Alloy Supported on a ZIF-Derived N-Doped Carbon Hollow Polyhedron for Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane

Ammonia borane (NH3BH3, AB) is a promising material for hydrogen storage/production. We applied a facile thermal treatment to synthesize a PdCo alloy anchored on a nitrogen-doped carbon hollow polyhedron (PdCo@NCHP) derived from a core-shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 crystal for use as a highly efficient catalyst for hydrogen generation from AB. The asprepared PdCo@NCHP exhibited excellent activity toward hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB in neutral and alkaline solutions, with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 470.57 and 881.91 mol(H2).mol(Pd)(-1).min(-1) at 303 K, respectively, and a relatively low activation energy of 36.9 kJ.mol(-1). The impressive catalytic performance may be attributed to the electronic interaction between Pd and Co, the synergistic effects of the PdCo nanoparticles and the NCHP support, and the hollow-structured NCHP support with its large pore volume, high surface area, high nitrogen content, and high graphitization. These results enhance the prospect of AB in practical hydrogen storage.