Mesoporous silica nanosphere supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt@MSN): one-pot synthesis and catalytic hydrogen generation

Abstract

One-pot synthesis of mesoporous silica nanosphere (MSN) supported platinum nanoparticles (NPs) as catalysts for hydrogen generation from alkaline sodium borohydride is reported. The size of the NPs can somehow be tuned by the pore size of the MSN providing that the metal loading is not high. The catalysts provided a turnover frequency (TOF) of 11 274 h⁻¹ with a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 19 L min⁻¹ g⁻¹ Pt.