Sodium Borohydride Project

Solution Combustion Synthesis (SCS) Method

In this Office of Naval Research (ONR) funded project, we focused on developing volumetrically efficient systems for the catalytic decomposition of sodium borohydride. The research involves all aspects of a fuel cell driven power unit, from low-cost catalysts to volumetrically efficient sodium borohydride conditioning and delivery systems.

Among our accomplishments, our team demonstrated a novel cobalt based catalyst. The work focused on solution combustion synthesis (SCS) for rapidly synthesizing a high-purity, nano-foam cobalt oxide powder. This powder is converted in-situ to a magnetic, active catalyst. The magnetic nature of the active catalyst allows for implementation of magnetic immobilization for use in a hydrogen generation system for fuel cell power.

This catalyst was demonstrated in flow and batch reactors where the catalyst was immobilized magnetically and the sodium borohydride was delivered in solution.

Controlled NaBH4 prototype reactor

Flow reactor with 12 wt. % NaBH4 solution