Hydrogen generation from hydrolysis of sodium borohydride with Ni(0) catalyst in dielectric barrier discharge method

In this study, the hydrogen production from hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) in the presence of the catalytic properties of Ni(0), which is reduced from NiCl₂.6H₂O, was investigated with a dielectric barrier discharge plasma method. The hydrogen production from NaBH₄ hydrolysis with Ni(0) catalyst prepared in dielectric barrier discharge plasma media created by applying a certain amount of voltages (3-5 kV) and plasma applying times (5-15 min) was investigated depending on NaBH ₄ concentration (3.2-10%) in solutions, NaOH concentration (1.5-10%) in solutions, catalyst amount (5-20 mg), and temperature (20-60°C). Hydrolysis reaction of NaBH₄ with Ni(0) prepared in the presence of dielectric barrier discharge plasma is completed in 45-min time intervals with fast hydrogen generation while the Ni(0) produced in a known method led to a slow hydrogen release and hydrolysis is completed in 70-min time intervals. The hydrogen yield of 3.2, 5, and 10% NaBH₄ solution with Ni(0) catalyst prepared in the presence of dielectric barrier discharge plasma takes the values of 95.06, 57.42, and 31.78% at the end of 45 min, respectively. The experimental data were fitted to first-order. The activation energy for first-order was found to be 41.76 kJ mol^-1.