US 12534364 B1Patent grantUnited States

Iron-Oxide Spinel Catalyst for Hydrogen Generation

Official patent title

Nanocomposite for hydrogen generation

Arabic title: مركب نانوي لتوليد الهيدروجين

Invention

Problem

Sodium borohydride hydrolysis needs a catalyst to release hydrogen at useful rates under manageable temperatures while avoiding expensive or difficult-to-recover catalytic materials.

Why it matters

Controlled hydrogen release may support portable or backup fuel-cell research, but practical adoption depends on catalyst durability, hydrogen purity, safe operation, and carrier regeneration.

Approach

The method contacts sodium borohydride and water with a g-C3N4/Fe2O3/MgAl2O4 nanocomposite in a 5–15:2–7:75–95 mass relationship at 10–80 °C.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include hydrogen-carrier researchers, catalyst developers, fuel-cell laboratories, backup-power integrators, and advanced-material manufacturers.

Potential value

The composite combines graphitic carbon nitride and iron oxide with a magnesium-aluminate-rich matrix and provides defined composition, porosity, and source-stated hydrolysis-rate ranges.

Background

Sodium borohydride stores hydrogen chemically and releases it when hydrolyzed, but an uncatalyzed reaction can be too slow for controlled supply. Heterogeneous catalysts can accelerate gas production and may simplify separation from the reaction mixture. A useful system must also manage heat, pressure, water demand, borate by-products, and repeated catalyst cycles. The disclosure addresses a ternary nanocomposite catalyst and its material properties; it does not establish the economics or environmental performance of producing and regenerating the borohydride carrier.

Technology overview

The catalyst contains g-C3N4, Fe2O3, and MgAl2O4 in the stated mass range and operates at 10–80 °C. The summary at p-0009 states 250–2,500 mL/(min·g), while p-0013 states 400–1,500 mL/(min·g) and a two- to eight-fold comparison without the nanocomposite. Claim 1 specifies composition, water, borohydride, and temperature but no hydrogen-generation rate. Claimed material ranges include 15–45 m²/g BET area, bimodal pores, and 0.06–0.12 cm³/g pore volume.

Potential applications

Sodium-borohydride hydrolysis research.
On-demand hydrogen-generation studies.
Portable fuel-cell supply evaluation.
Iron-oxide nanocatalyst development.

Evidence-supported advantages

Uses a heterogeneous ternary nanocomposite.
Defines a claimed 10–80 °C operating range.
Provides bimodal pore and surface-area ranges.
Uses iron oxide rather than a noble metal.
States a two- to eight-fold comparison in the summary.

Development stage

Laboratory material characterization and source-stated hydrolysis performance ranges are described; catalyst lifecycle and commercialization were not established. The development stage was not independently verified.

Commercial opportunity

The catalyst may be screened for chemical hydrogen cartridges or laboratory fuel-cell supplies. Commercial work requires reconciliation and reproduction of the stated rate ranges, catalyst recovery and repeated-cycle tests, iron leaching, hydrogen purity, thermal and pressure control, safe borohydride handling, scale-up economics, and lifecycle analysis of borohydride production and spent-borate regeneration.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

C01B3/065Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof
B01J27/20Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus

CPC

B01J27/20Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J27/24Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/19Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/45Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/613Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/615Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/633Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/643Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/647Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J35/69Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
C01B3/065Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof
B01J2235/15Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B01J2235/30Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus
B82Y30/00Specific uses or applications of nanostructures; measurement or analysis of nanostructures; manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
C01B2203/1023Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof
C01B2203/1047Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof
C01B2203/1614Non-metallic elements; compounds thereof
Y02E60/36Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions related to energy generation, transmission or distribution

Inventors

First inventorBabiker Yagoub Elhadi Abdulkhair
InventorMohamed Nady Abd El-Hameed Ibrahim
InventorMohamed Khairy Omran

Keywords

hydrogen generation
sodium borohydride
graphitic carbon nitride
iron oxide
magnesium aluminate
hydrolysis catalyst
bimodal pores

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.