Phosphorus doped carbon nanodots particles based on pomegranate peels for highly active dehydrogenation of sodium borohydride in methanol

Here, the carbon nanodots were successfully synthesized from pomegranate peels (PPCD). This obtained PPCD was treated by a hydrothermal process with phosphoric acid for P doping (P doped PPCD) and used as a metal-free catalyst to obtain hydrogen(H 2 ) from sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) methanolysis for the first time. The characteristics of the samples obtained by ultraviolet, fluorescence, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses were examined. NaBH 4 concentration effect, temperature effect and catalyst reusability experiments were carried out. Using 10 mg of the catalyst with 2.5% NaBH 4 , an HGR value of 13000 mL min −1 g −1 was obtained. The activation energy (Ea) for the P-doped PPCD catalyst was 30.96 kJ mol −1 . • The carbon nanodots were successfully synthesized from pomegranate peels. • The obtained PPCD was treated by a hydrothermal process with phosphoric acid for P doping. • P doped PPCD was used for the first time as a metal-free catalyst to obtain H 2 from NaBH 4 methanolysis. • HGR value of 13000 mL min −1 g −1 was obtained. using 10 mg of the catalyst with 2.5% NaBH 4 . • The activation energy (Ea) for the P-doped PPCD catalyst was 30.96 kJ mol −1 .