Poly(acrylic acid)-modified silica nanoparticles as a nonmetal catalyst for NaBH4 methanolysis

In the present work, a SiO2@PAA catalyst for NaBH4 methanolysis composed of silica nanoparticles modified with poly(acrylic acid) has been developed. The morphology and composition of the prepared SiO2@PAA catalyst were analyzed with transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. This catalyst showed excellent catalytic performance for methanolysis of NaBH4. The NaBH4 methanolysis reaction catalyzed by SiO2@PAA showed an average hydrogen generation rate 5.5 times as high as the reaction catalyzed by unmodified SiO2 and 10.6 times as high as the uncatalyzed reaction, respectively. The activation energy for methanolysis of NaBH4 catalyzed by this SiO2@PAA catalyst was 24.03 kJ/mol. Moreover, although the catalytic activity of SiO2@PAA catalyst partially lost after being used, it could be restored after being regenerated by washing with diluted hydrochloric acid solution.