Coupling architectural and electronic engineering over cobalt molybdenum intermetallic compound for boosting hydrogen generation from ammonia borane

Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) with enormous promising application prospects have gained growing interest in heterogeneous catalysis. The Co3Mo IMC with ping-pong chrysanthemum shaped self-supported spheres architecture composed of interleaved irregular porous nanosheets has been successfully achieved and applied to the catalytic hydrogen generation from ammonia borane (AB) for the first time. It exhibits remarkable catalytic performance with a turnover frequency of 40.16 molH2molcat−1min−1 at 25 °C (54.0-fold of Co monometal), preeminent stability with 81.08% catalytic activity maintained and 100% H2 selectivity after 10 cycles. The dispersed self-supported architecture of interleaved irregular porous nanosheets and the optimized electronic structure with a reduced activation barrier of the H2O and NH3BH3 molecule in the Co3Mo IMC synergistically accelerate the reaction kinetics and improve its cycle stability in catalytic hydrogen evolution from AB. The sustainable Co3Mo IMC with the feasible “on-off” control will be an accelerator for practical and potential applications in the hydrolysis of AB.