The increasing energy demands of the world today have prompted a more thorough investigation into alternative fuels. The renewable nature of hydrogen gas and its environmentally-benign byproducts when produced by the hydrolysis reaction of water and sodium borohydride have identified this as a viable method of production for the alternative fuel. Gold and platinum nanoparticles were synthesized using beta-cyclodextrin for applications in hydrogen evolution reactions from sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). The resulting homogenous metal nanoparticles were characterized using Ultraviolet- visible spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Catalytic activity of the hydrogen evolution reactions was measured using a previously described gravimetric water displacement system [1,2]. The data collected shows an increase in the efficiency of the hydrogen generation reaction with the addition of gold and platinum nanoparticles when compared to the un-catalyzed reaction. Overall, gold nanoparticles showed the highest reaction rate of 0.0016 mol^-1 sec^-1 at a standard concentration of NaBH₄, standard pH 7 and an increased temperature at 30 °C. The platinum nanoparticle catalyzed reaction preformed best with a standard concentration of NaBH₄ and a standard pH 7 solution producing a rate constant of 0.0021 mol^-1 sec^-1. All reaction rates were determined to be second order kinematic reactions.

References

1. T. Dushatinski, C. Huff, and T. Abdel-Fattah, Applied Surface Science, 385, 282 (2016).

2. C. Huff, T. Dushatinski, A. Barzanji, N. Abdel-Fattah, K. Barzanji, and T. Abdel-Fattah, ECS J Solid State, 6, M69-M71 (2017).