Achieving the controlled release of H 2 through an effective approach still faces many challenges. Herein, high-quality graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are synthesized from a new precursor, 1,2,4-trihydroxy benzene, and a multifunctional platform of Rh@GQDs is further developed for the controlled H 2 evolution upon the hydrolysis of NH 3 BH 3 (AB). More importantly, the designing concepts of multistep and stepless speed controls have been introduced in the domains of both H 2 evolution for the first time. Through a novel designing protocol, the rate of H 2 evolution can be freely regulated and constantly varied on demand by means of chelation between Zn 2+ and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The density functional theory calculation indicates that Zn 2+ has the priority to be adsorbed onto Rh(100) due to its larger adsorption energy (107.98 kcal•mol −1 ) than that of AB (36.36 kcal•mol −1 ). A controlling mechanism is presented such that Zn 2+ will cover the active sites of the nanocatalyst to prevent the H 2 evolution, and EDTA can chelate Zn 2+ to reactivate the nanocatalyst for the production of H 2 , greatly facilitating use of this strategy in other catalytic reactions. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the protocol is equally valid for diverse hydrogen storage materials. Therefore, this work not only establishes whole new concepts for the controlled production of H 2 but also explains their mechanism, thus remarkably advancing the utilization of H 2 energy and significantly enlightening the controlled process of catalysis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.