Synergistic effects of Pt-doping in Ni/Al2O3 catalysts for hydrogen storage using benzyltoluene as LOHC

This study explores Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs) like benzyltoluene as a promising alternative for efficient hydrogen storage. In response to the common use of noble metal-based catalyst in the literature, this work focuses on the synthesis of cost-effective Ni-based formulations with small quantities of PGMs. The prepared Ni catalyst exhibited outstanding hydrogenation performance with a hydrogenation yield ∼100 % within 3 h. Furthermore, the incorporation of mall amount (0.5 wt%) of Pt into the catalysts proved to boost the hydrogenation activity due to synergistic Pt–Ni interactions. This study underlines the potential of PtNi bimetallic catalysts as high-performance formulations, contributing to the development of economically viable and efficient catalyst for H 2 storage via LOHCs. • Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalysts offer a cost-effective alternative for benzyltoluene hydrogenation, reducing noble metal usage. • Nickel modifies acidity, enhancing aromatic adsorption and hydrogen activation. • Adding 0.5 wt% Pt boosts hydrogen activation via synergistic Pt–Ni interactions. • Bimetallic Pt–Ni (5 wt% Ni) achieved full hydrogenation in 80 min, maximizing efficiency while reducing metal usage.