Covalent triazine framework encapsulated Pd nanoclusters for efficient hydrogen production via ammonia borane hydrolysis

Ammonia borane (AB) represents a promising hydrogen storage material, while high-performing catalysts allowing efficient release of hydrogen from the hydrolysis of AB are desired. Here, Pd nanoclusters (NCs) are successfully immobilized within pores of a bipyridyl covalent triazine framework (CTF-BPDA-TPDH) via a metal-nitrogen coordination reduction strategy. The porous structure and tailored N sites of CTF facilitate the anchoring of Pd ions and the in situ formation of monodisperse Pd NCs confined in the pores of CTF. The resulting Pd-NCs@CTF composites exhibit high activity toward the hydrolysis of AB with turnover frequencies (TOFs) of 273 and 434 mol H2 ·mol −1 Pd ·min −1 in neutral and alkaline solutions, respectively. The Pd-NCs@CTF catalyst is also demonstrated for the tandem dehydrogenation of AB and hydrogenation of nitroarenes featuring short reaction time and high yields. These findings emphasize the promise of the porous CTFs encapsulated metal NCs for active catalysts.