PVP Stabilized Ruthenium (0) Nanorods as Effective Catalysts in Hydrogen Generation from the Hydrolysis of Sodium Borohydride

摘要

Poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) - stabilized ruthenium (0) nanorods have been successfully synthesized by refluxing ruthenium (III) chloride (RuCl_3) in low boiling point alcohols (including ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol) using microwave heating for the first time. The effects of low boiling point alcohols on the preparation and catalytic property of ruthenium nanorods were discussed. UV-Vis absorption spectra indicated ruthenium nanorods could be synthesized in n-butanol after 2 h refluxing, far below the refluxing time in ethanol and n-propanol. The activation energy of the hydrolysis of NaBH_4 catalyzed by Ruthenium (0) nanorods obtained in ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol were determined to be 41.1, 33.3, and 27.9 kJ/mol, respectively.