Mono- and bimetallic MOF nanocatalysts with varying Fe and Co content for hydrogen generation via sodium borohydride hydrolysis

Developing efficient, stable, and cost-effective catalysts for on-demand hydrogen generation remains a central challenge for sustainable energy technologies. Herein, we synthesized monometallic (Co-BTC and Fe-BTC) and bimetallic FeCo-BTC metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with a MIL-100 structural type using a simple solvothermal route and evaluated them as heterogeneous catalysts for sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) hydrolysis. By tailoring the metal composition within the framework, we targeted polyfunctional solid catalysts with improved thermal, chemical, and structural robustness compared with conventional MIL-100(Fe) materials. All synthesized MOFs showed high catalytic performance, reaching hydrogen yields above 90% at temperatures below 50 °C. Among them, Co-BTC delivered the best performance, achieving a hydrogen generation rate of 590 mL min –1 g cat –1 at 27 °C and a comparatively low activation energy of 46 kJ mol –1 . Co-BTC also maintained high activity over multiple reuse cycles under both neutral and alkaline conditions. Overall, these results demonstrate that metal composition strongly governs catalytic activity and stability, and they identify Co- and FeCo-based MIL-100-type MOFs as promising candidates for efficient hydrogen production from borohydrides, supporting the development of sustainable hydrogen energy systems.