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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions
Published on: August 17, 2016
Coronavirus-like Core-Shell-Structured Co@C for Hydrogen Evolution via Hydrolysis of Sodium Borohydride
Shuyi Su1, Kailei Chen1,2, Xu Yang1,2
1School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Abstract:
Constructing a reliable and robust cobalt-based catalyst for hydrogen evolution via hydrolysis of sodium borohydride is appealing but challenging due to the deactivation caused by the metal leaching and re-oxidization of metallic cobalt. A unique core-shell-structured coronavirus-like Co@C microsphere was prepared via pyrolysis of Co-MOF. This special Co@C had a microporous carbon coating to retain the reduced state of cobalt and resist the metal leaching. Furthermore, several nano-bumps grown discretely on the surface afforded enriched active centers. Applied in the pyrolysis of NaBH4, the Co@C-650, carbonized at 650 °C, exhibited the best activity and reliable recyclability. This comparable performance is ascribed to the increased metallic active sites and robust stability.
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