Preparation of Electrodeposited Cobalt Phosphide on Nickel Foam for Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis
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Abstract
This research studies the preparation of a cobalt phosphide catalyst on a nickel foam support via a one-step electrodeposition process. This method was aimed to reduce costs and enhance the catalytic efficiency for hydrogen production. The properties of the catalyst were studied with varying electrodeposition times of 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes, as this factor affects its catalytic performance. The experimental results showed that small cobalt and phosphorus nanoparticles were dispersed and deposited on the porous surface of the support. The resulting amorphous cobalt phosphide catalyst exhibited an increased specific surface area with longer electrodeposition times. The catalyst prepared by electrodeposition for 15 minutes with a mass of 4.2 grams was used to catalyze the hydrolysis of a 20 wt% sodium borohydride solution with a flow rate of 10 mL/min. This catalyst achieved a hydrogen production rate of 2.25 L/min at a pressure of 0.5 bar, which was higher than that of a catalyst prepared by electroless deposition. The findings suggest that the electrodeposited catalyst is suitable for use in hydrogen production for fuel cell applications.
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