Properties of carbon nanofibers modified with sodium hydroxide in the catalytic decomposition of formic acid

Experiments were conducted on the decomposition of formic acid on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) to produce pure hydrogen. It has been shown that carbon nanofibers are capable of decomposing formic acid predominantly with the formation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Alkaline treatment of CNF leads to a sharp increase in catalytic activity in the decomposition of formic acid. Treatment of CNF with alkali slightly increases the selectivity of the decomposition reaction of formic acid with the formation of hydrogen and CO 2 . Using high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM), it was found that alkaline treatment leads to modification of the CNF surface by sodium ions, which are uniformly distributed over the carbon surface. For comparison, the catalytic properties of CNF (NaOH) and 0.2% Pt/CNF catalysts in the decomposition of formic acid were studied. It was found that the activity of the 0.2%Pt/CNF catalyst is slightly higher than the activity and selectivity of the CNF (NaOH) catalyst.