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

Ayman Yousef; Ibrahim M Maafa; Ahmed Abutaleb; Saleh M Matar; Ahmed A Alamir; M M El-Halwany

doi:10.3390/polym16243541

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

Polymers (Basel). 2024 Dec 19;16(24):3541. doi: 10.3390/polym16243541.

Authors

Ayman Yousef^{1

2}, Ibrahim M Maafa^{1

2}, Ahmed Abutaleb^{1

2}, Saleh M Matar^{1

2}, Ahmed A Alamir³, M M El-Halwany^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 11451, Saudi Arabia.
² Engineering and Technology Research Center, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia.
³ Jazan Education Department, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Mathematics and Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
⁵ Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura National University, Gamasa 7731168, Egypt.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: bimetallic; carbon nanofiber; electrospinning; hydrogen; nickel-chromium.

Grants and funding

RG40-M038/The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding of the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, through project number: (RG40-M038).