Gold supported on zirconia polymorphs for hydrogen generation from formic acid in base-free aqueous medium

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 328; pp. 463 - 471
• Main Authors: Bi, Qing-Yuan, Lin, Jian-Dong, Liu, Yong-Mei, He, He-Yong, Huang, Fu-Qiang, Cao, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2016
• Subjects: Base-free; Formic acid; Gold catalysis; Hydrogen; Zirconia polymorphs; Gold catalysis; Hydrogen; Zirconia polymorphs; Formic acid; Base-free
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.08.056

Formic acid (FA) has attracted considerable attention as a safe and convenient hydrogen storage material for renewable energy transformation. However, development of an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for selective FA decomposition for ultraclean H2 gas in the absence of any alkalis or additives under mild conditions remains a major challenge. Based on our previous work on Au/ZrO2 as a robust and efficient catalyst for FA dehydrogenation in amine system, we report here ZrO2 with different nanocrystal polymorphs supported Au nanoparticles can achieve near completion of FA dehydrogenation in base-free aqueous medium. Of significant importance is that an excellent rate of up to 81.8 L H2 gAu−1 h−1 in open system and highly pressurized gas of 5.9 MPa in closed one can be readily attained at 80 °C for Au/m-ZrO2. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) and CO2-temperature programmed desorption (TPD) techniques revealed that Au/m-ZrO2 exhibits a higher density of surface basic sites than Au/t-ZrO2 and Au/a-ZrO2. Basic sites in surface can substantially facilitate crucial FA deprotonation process which appears to be a key factor for achieving high dehydrogenation activity. The H/D exchange between solvent of H2O and substrate of FA was observed by the kinetic isotope effect experiments. •ZrO2 polymorphs possess markedly different amount of surface acidity and basicity.•The basic sites of gold catalyst are crucial for the cleavage of OH bond of HCOOH.•Au/m-ZrO2 shows excellent reaction rate of 81.8 L H2 gAu−1 h−1.•The H/D exchange between HCOOH and H2O in reaction system is observed.