Ru nanoparticles supported on quince seed mucilage as an active catalyst for hydrogen generation from ammonia borane
摘要
Hydrogen is a strategic energy carrier that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels due to its high specific energy value and zero carbon emissions. The development of high-performance heterogeneous catalysts for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (H3NBH3, AB) is critical for efficient and sustainable hydrogen production. In this study, biodegradable quince seed mucilage (QSM) was used as a direct support for ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru0NPs) without the need for any crosslinker/initiator or pre-modification. Ru0NPs supported on QSM (QSM@Ru0NPs) were investigated for hydrogen production via catalytic hydrolysis of AB under alkali-free conditions. The catalytic performance was systematically investigated as a function of temperature, catalyst loading, support amount, and AB concentration. QSM@Ru0NPs achieved a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 8274 mL.min-1.gRu-1 at 30 °C, a turnover frequency (TOF) of 28.8 mol H2.mol-1Ru.min-1, and an activation energy (Eₐ) of 49.84 kJ.mol-1. The catalyst’s stability was verified over 5 cycles, with 72% of its activity retained, demonstrating very high reusability. The findings demonstrate that QSM@Ru0NPs offer a robust, economical, and scalable heterogeneous catalysis platform with strong potential for efficiency and practical field suitability in clean energy applications.