Rapid hydrogen production by NaBH₄ solvolysis: Synergistic effect of the methanol-propylene glycol solvent system with a novel biomass-derived N, O-doped catalyst

This study concentrates on the characterization and optimization of a novel biowaste-derived catalyst, N,Odoped Cat131-700, synthesized from Laurus nobilis leaves (LnL), for hydrogen production by the sodium borohydride solvolysis. Optimization experiments were conducted to identify the most suitable conditions, including the ratio of potassium carbonate (PCK) to ammonium oxalate monohydrate (AO), as well as the carbonization temperature and time. A variety of techniques were used to characterize the catalyst, including SEM, SEM-EDS, FTIR, XRD, BET and XPS. The specific surface area of the N,O-doped Cat131-700 catalyst was measured as 697.66 m2/g, indicating a moderately developed porous structure. Performance activities showed the efficiency of the catalyst in hydrogen production, with essential factors such as the catalyst amount, the NaBH4 quantity and the temperature affecting the reaction kinetics. Remarkably, the NaBH4 methanolysis reaction catalyzed by N,O-doped Cat131-700 was completed in approximately 4 min, whereas the same amount of hydrogen was generated within just 20 s in a methanol/propylene glycol (5:5) solvent system. The hydrogen production rate for the N,O-doped Cat131-700 catalyzed reaction was calculated as 300,000 mLmin-1gcat -1 at 30 degrees C. Furthermore, the activation energy of the catalyzed reaction was calculated as 11.99 kJ/mol, which is notably low compared to many other catalysts reported for similar applications. Overall, this study introduces N,O-doped Cat131-700 as a promising, efficient, and reusable catalyst for sustainable hydrogen generation, particularly under mild reaction conditions.