Rare‐Earth‐Induced Charge Polarization in Medium‐Entropy Alloy Driving Fast Hydrogen Generation

Abstract Ammonia borane (NH 3 BH 3 , AB) is an ideal hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen content (19.6 wt%) and ambient stability. However, the large‐scale application of hydrogen production via catalyzed AB methanolysis is limited by the sluggish methanol dehydrogenation kinetics. Particularly, the adsorption and activation steps in this process are not clearly distinguished and investigated comprehensively, which hinders the development of highly efficient catalysts. Herein, a rare‐earth‐induced charge polarization strategy is employed to design catalysts with pronounced interatomic charge differences. A rare‐earth element with strong electron‐donating ability is introduced to the CuCoNi medium‐entropy alloy (MEA) system to modulate the charge distribution. As a result, positively charged La atoms preferentially adsorb O atoms via electrostatic interactions, while negatively charged Cu/Co/Ni atoms can donate electrons to promote H radical dissociation. This adsorb‐activate cooperation significantly enhances the catalytic efficiency of AB methanolysis. The optimized CuCoNiLa 0.3 /C MEA nanoparticles catalyst achieves a turnover frequency (TOF) of 147.9 mol H2 mol cat −1 min −1 at 30 °C, which presents a substantial improvement compared to the CuCoNi/C (98.1 mol H2 mol cat −1 min −1 ). This work provides a reliable strategy for designing high‐performance catalysts for AB methanolysis.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2025-10-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202515235
Citations
1
Primary Topic
High Entropy Alloys Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.71

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Rare‐Earth‐Induced Charge Polarization in Medium‐Entropy Alloy Driving Fast Hydrogen Generation

Xuezhang Xiao, Xiying Jian, Ruhong Li, Jiaxin Wang et al.
1 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
High Entropy Alloys Studies
0.71
article

Rare‐Earth‐Induced Charge Polarization in Medium‐Entropy Alloy Driving Fast Hydrogen Generation

Xuezhang Xiao, Xiying Jian, Ruhong Li, Jiaxin Wang, Shuo‐Qing Zhang, Fei Chu, Jinze Wang, Sicheng Yuan, Xiulin Fan, Huaijun Lin, Nuo Lei, Haiwen Li, Lixin Chen, Jiahuan He
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract Ammonia borane (NH 3 BH 3 , AB) is an ideal hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen content (19.6 wt%) and ambient stability. However, the large‐scale application of hydrogen production via catalyzed AB methanolysis is limited by the sluggish methanol dehydrogenation kinetics. Particularly, the adsorption and activation steps in this process are not clearly distinguished and investigated comprehensively, which hinders the development of highly efficient catalysts. Herein, a rare‐earth‐induced charge polarization strategy is employed to design catalysts with pronounced interatomic charge differences. A rare‐earth element with strong electron‐donating ability is introduced to the CuCoNi medium‐entropy alloy (MEA) system to modulate the charge distribution. As a result, positively charged La atoms preferentially adsorb O atoms via electrostatic interactions, while negatively charged Cu/Co/Ni atoms can donate electrons to promote H radical dissociation. This adsorb‐activate cooperation significantly enhances the catalytic efficiency of AB methanolysis. The optimized CuCoNiLa 0.3 /C MEA nanoparticles catalyst achieves a turnover frequency (TOF) of 147.9 mol H2 mol cat −1 min −1 at 30 °C, which presents a substantial improvement compared to the CuCoNi/C (98.1 mol H2 mol cat −1 min −1 ). This work provides a reliable strategy for designing high‐performance catalysts for AB methanolysis.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 36(21)
Sun Yat-sen University (CN), Jinan University (CN), Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (CN), China Academy of Engineering Physics (CN), Zhejiang University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Power Engineering Consulting Group, Zhejiang University
Openalex Percentile: Top 26%
High Entropy Alloys Studies
0.71
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.