Polymeric and metal oxide structured nanofibrous composites fabricated by electrospinning as highly efficient hydrogen evolution catalyst

Abstract

Polyacrylonitrile polymeric (PAN/CoAc) and metal oxide (Co3O4/Nfs) nanofibrous structured composite catalysts for the hydrogen production are successfully fabricated by simple, low cost, high yield, and effective technique: electrospinning. Two selected process parameters, as applied voltage (15-25 kV) and distance (5.0-7.5 cm), are adjusted at two different values and interaction plots on the fiber diameters are analyzed statistically. Morphology, crystalline, chemical and thermal properties of composites are characterized by several techniques (SEM, TEM, BET, XRD, FT-IR, TG/DTG, DSC, DMA) and activity of composites as catalysts are tested for ammonia borane (NH3BH3) hydrolysis for hydrogen evolution as a green fuel for future energy applications. It is concluded that nanofibrous metal oxide structured Co3O4/Nfs(-1) composite provides the best catalytic activity in terms of hydrogen production rate with 2.541 H-2 min(-1) gcat(-1) and good repeatability. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.