In this study the cobalt-boron-manganese (CoBMn) films were deposited on the nickel foam (Ni_foam) substrate and used as catalysts for hydrogen generation from an alkaline sodium borohydride solution. Thin CoBMn films were deposited on the Ni foam using morpholine borane as a reducing agent. The morphology and composition of the prepared catalysts were examined using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Catalytic activity of the CoBMn/Ni foam catalyst was determined by measuring the amount of hydrogen generated directly from aqueous alkaline solutions of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) at different solution temperatures from 40 to 70 °C and compared with that of CoB/Ni foam.

It was found that the rate of catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH₄ in an alkaline solution catalyzed by the CoB/Ni foam and CoBMn/Ni foam increases exponentially with increase in reaction temperature. The activation energy was determined from the kinetic data. Significantly greater hydrogen generation rate is obtained at the CoBMn/Ni foam as compared with that at CoB/Ni foam.

Acknowledgment

This research was funded by a grant (No. M-ERA.NET-1/2016) from the Research Council of Lithuania.