PEI modified natural sands of Florida as catalysts for hydrogen production from sodium borohydride dehydrogenation in methanol

Abstract

Summary Sand samples from Tampa (T) and Panama (P) City beaches in Florida were used as catalysts for dehydrogenation of NaBH4 in methanol. T and P sand samples were sieved to <250, 250 to 500, and >500 μm sizes, and the smallest fractions resulted in faster hydrogen generation rates (HGR), 565 ± 18 and 482 ± 24 mL H2 (min.g of catalyst)−1, respectively. After various base/acid treatments, HGR values of 705 ± 51 and 690 ± 47 mL H2 (min g of catalyst)−1 for HCl‐treated T and P sand samples were attained, respectively. Next, T and P sand samples were modified with polyethyleneimine (PEI) that doubled the HGR values, 1344 ± 103, and 1190 ± 87 mL H2 (min.g of catalyst)−1 and increased ~8‐fold, 4408 ± 187, and 3879 ± 169 mL H2 (min g of catalyst)−1, correspondingly after protonation (PEI+). The Ea values of T and P sand samples were calculated as 24.6 and 25.9 kJ/mol, and increased to 36.1, and 36.6 kJ/mol for T‐PEI+ and P‐PEI+ samples, respectively.