"On-Off" Control for On-Demand H2 Release upon Dimethylamineborane Hydrolysis over Ru0.8Ni0.2/MoS2 Nanohybrids.

ABSTRACT

In spite of the fact that remarkable developments are achieved in the design and development of novel nanocatalysts for H2 release upon dimethylamineborane hydrolysis, the development of an "on-off" switch for demand-based H2 evolution upon dimethylamineborane hydrolysis is still a matter of supreme importance, however. Herein, we synthesized a string of MoS2 nanosheet-supported RuNi bimetallic nanohybrids (RuxNi1-x/MoS2), by fixation of RuNi nanoparticles at the MoS2 surface, for the H2 evolution upon the hydrolysis of dimethylamineborane at 30 °C. For safely and effectively generating, transporting, and storing H2 gas, the selective "on-off" switch for on-demand H2 evolution upon dimethylamineborane hydrolysis over the Ru0.8Ni0.2/MoS2 nanohybrid has been successfully realized by the Zn2+/EDTA-2Na system. In particular, the H2 evolution is totally switched off by adding Zn(NO3)2. It seems that Zn2+ ions are attached and anchored at the Ru0.8Ni0.2/MoS2 surface, inhibiting their surface-active sites, leading to the termination of H2 evolution. Then, the H2 generation is subsequently reactivated by adding the EDTA-2Na solution because of its excellent coordination ability with Zn2+ ions. This study not only offers a new and efficient RuNi nanocatalyst for dimethylamineborane hydrolysis but also proposes a new method for the demand-based H2 production.