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A NOVEL CATALYST WITH HIGHLY STABLE
AND ATOMICALLY DISPERSED COBALT
AND MANGANESE NITRIDE NANOCLUSTER
ACTIVE SITES FOR HYDROLYTIC RELEASE
OF HYDROGEN FROM AMMONIA BORANE
Poster
YAN Yujie
BSc (Hons) in Green Engineering and Sustainability
Department of Construction, Environment and Engineering
OBJECTIVES RESEARCH BACKGROUND
• Develop a novel catalyst with Hydrogen (H2) is a promising green energy carrier, but its storage and release
atomically dispersed cobalt and pose significant challenges. Ammonia borane (AB) is a high-capacity H2
manganese nitride nanoclusters for storage material, but its practical use requires efficient catalysts for controlled
Ammonia Borane (AB) hydrolysis. H2 release. Traditional precious metal catalysts are expensive and scarce,
• Enhance the stability and reactivity which has prompted research into non-precious metal alternatives. This study
of the catalyst to achieve high H2 aims to develop a stable and efficient catalyst for AB hydrolysis to improve H2
generation rates. generation.
• Investigate the synergistic effects
of cobalt and manganese in the METHODOLOGY
catalyst for improved performance. The study involved synthesizing a novel catalyst, Co/Mn4N-CNT-33-800, with
• Evaluate the long-term durability atomically dispersed cobalt and manganese nitride nanoclusters on carbon
and recyclability of the catalyst for nanotubes. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD),
practical applications. Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used
• Provide insights for designing to analyze the catalyst's structure and composition. Catalytic performance
advanced non-precious metal catalysts was assessed through hydrolysis experiments, measuring H2 release rates
for energy-related applications. and catalyst stability over multiple cycles. Kinetic studies were conducted to
determine reaction orders and activation energies, providing insights into the
catalytic mechanism.
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATOR FINDINGS
I am a dedicated and passionate The synthesized Co/Mn4N-CNT-33-800 catalyst demonstrated exceptional
researcher with a keen interest in stability and reactivity, achieving high H2 generation rates and maintaining over
green engineering and sustainability. 50% of its initial activity after 50 cycles. The catalyst's atomically dispersed
My academic journey has been marked active sites facilitated efficient AB hydrolysis, with a peak H2 generation rate
by a strong commitment to advancing of 8372 mLH2·gCoMn ¹·min ¹. The study highlighted the synergistic effects of
-
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renewable energy solutions. I aim cobalt and manganese, enhancing the catalyst's durability and performance.
to pursue a career in research These findings contribute to the development of sustainable H2 generation
and development, focusing on technologies.
innovative catalysts for clean energy
applications. My goal is to contribute
to the global effort in reducing carbon
emissions and promoting sustainable
practices.
FYP Supervisor: Ir Dr Alex TSANG
11 Student Applied Research Presentations 2025 Student Applied Research Presentations 2025
