Use of silica-based homogeneously distributed gold nickel nanohybrid as a stable nanocatalyst for the hydrogen production from the dimethylamine borane

Abstract

In this study, the effects of silica-based gold-nickel (AuNi@SiO2) nanohybrid to the production of hydrogen from dimethylamine borane (DMAB) were investigated. AuNi@SiO2 nanohybrid constructs were prepared as nanocatalysts for the dimethylamine borane dehydrogenation. The prepared nanohybrid structures were exhibited high catalytic activity and a stable form. The resulting nanohybrid, AuNi@SiO2 as a nanocatalyst, was tested in the hydrogen evolution from DMAB at room temperature. The synthesized nanohybrids were characterized using some analytical techniques. According to the results of the characterization, it was observed that the catalyst was in nanoscale and the gold-nickel alloys showed a homogenous distribution on the SiO2 surface. After characterization, the turn over frequency (TOF) of nanohybrid prepared for the production of hydrogen from dimethylamine was calculated (546.9 h(-1)). Also, the prepared nanohybrid can be used non-observed a significant decrease in activity even after the fifth use, in the same reaction. In addition, the activation energy (Ea) of the reaction of DMAB catalyzed AuNi@SiO2 nanohybrid was found to be 16.653 +/- 1 kJ mol(-1) that facilitated the catalytic reaction. Furthermore, DFT-B3LYP calculations were used on the AuNi@SiO2 cluster to investigate catalyst activity. Computational results based on DFT obtained in the theoretical part of the study support the experimental data.