Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers Derived from Polyvinyl Alcohol Embedded with Bimetallic Nickle-Chromium Nanoparticles for Sodium Borohydride Dehydrogenation

Bimetallic NiCr nanoparticles decorated on carbon nanofibers (NiCr@CNFs) were synthesized through electrospinning and investigated as catalysts for hydrogen generation from the dehydrogenation of sodium borohydride (SBH). Four distinct compositions were prepared, with chromium content in the catalysts ranging from 5 to 25 weight percentage (wt%). Comprehensive characterization confirmed the successful formation of bimetallic NiCr@CNFs. Notably, among the compositions, the catalyst containing 20 wt% Cr exhibited the highest efficiency in SBH dehydrogenation. Kinetic studies revealed that hydrogen production followed a first-order reaction with respect to the catalyst quantity. Additionally, the reaction time decreased with increasing temperature. The activation energy (Ea), entropy change (ΔS), and enthalpy change (ΔH) were calculated as 34.27 kJ mol^-1, 93.28 J mol·K^-1, and 31.71 kJ mol^-1, respectively. The improved catalytic performance is attributed to the synergistic interaction between Ni and Cr. This study proposes a promising strategy for the advancement of Ni-based catalysts.