LAUSR

Efficient hydrogen generation and storage is an essential prerequisite of a future hydrogen economy. Boron hydrides feature high volumetric density and high hydrogen generation, making them a promising candidate for chemical hydrogen storage. The development of efficient non-noble metal catalysts for on-demand hydrogen release through boron-hydride hydrolysis under mild conditions has received extensive interest. Transition-metal boride/phosphide based materials are attractive due to their advantages of earth-abundant elements, considerable catalytic activity, high stability and low cost. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the synthesis of transition metal boride/phosphide based catalysts and their application in catalyzing hydrolysis of boron hydrides. We highlight a number of strategies to enhance the catalytic efficiency and stability of metal boride/phosphide catalysts, such as component optimizing, structure tailoring and substrate engineering. Remarkably, the supported Co–W–B catalyst enables a high H2 release rate of 15 000 mL min−1 g−1 and an activation energy lower than 30 kJ mol−1 towards the hydrolysis of NaBH4. Furthermore, the main concerns and issues like identifying a real catalytic activity center and revealing the catalytic mechanisms are also discussed, along with perspectives on future research in this field.