title: Skeletal Ni Catalysts Prepared from Amorphous Ni-Zr Alloys: Enhanced Catalytic Performance for Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane.
abstract: Skeletal Ni catalysts were prepared from Ni-Zr alloys, which possess different chemical composition and atomic arrangements, by a combination of thermal treatment and treatment with aqueous HF. Hydrogen generation from ammonia borane over the skeletal Ni catalysts proceeded efficiently, whereas the amorphous Ni-Zr alloy was inactive. Skeletal Ni prepared from amorphous Ni30 Zr70 alloy had a higher catalytic activity than that prepared from amorphous Ni40 Zr60 and Ni50 Zr50 alloys. The atomic arrangement of the Ni-Zr alloy also strongly affected the surface structure and catalytic activities. Thermal treatment of the amorphous Ni-Zr alloys at a temperature slightly lower than the crystallization temperature led to an increase of the number of surface-exposed Ni atoms and an enhancement of the catalytic activities for hydrogen generation from ammonia borane. The skeletal Ni catalysts also showed excellent durability and recyclability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nozaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasutomo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanihara
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries (ESICB), Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohmichi
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries (ESICB), Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohsuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.|Research Center for Ultra-High Voltage Electron Microscopy, Osaka University, 7-1, Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagase
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.affiliation: Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. yamashita@mat.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp.|Elements Strategy Initiative for Catalysts and Batteries (ESICB), Kyoto University, Katsura, Kyoto, 615-8520, Japan. yamashita@mat.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
keywords: alloys; ammonia borane; amorphous materials; heterogeneous catalysts; hydrogen generation