Multi-interfacial engineering of CoN/CoP heterostructures by synergistic coupling of Ru and MXene for high-efficiency hydrogen generation from ammonia-borane hydrolysis

Catalyst development remains a critical challenge in chemical hydrogen storage. In particular, efficient, cost-effective heterogeneous catalysts are essential for ammonia borane (NH 3 BH 3 , AB) hydrolysis to enable hydrogen generation. In this study, we developed a self-assembly strategy to fabricate a unique catalyst consisting of a Ru-modified CoN/CoP heterogeneous structure on an MXene support of Ti 3 C 2 T x , creating more multiphase interfaces. Through optimizing experimental conditions, a superior Ru–CoN/CoP@Ti 3 C 2 T x catalyst is achieved, which demonstrates a rapid hydrogen generation rate ( HGR  = 1.43 × 10 5  mL min −1 ·g Ru −1 ) and a high turnover frequency ( TOF  = 589.7 mol H2 ·mol Ru −1 ·min −1 ) at 25 °C, surpassing most previously reported Ru-based catalysts. The catalytic performance improvement of AB hydrolysis can be ascribed to a much lower apparent activation energy ( E a  = 26.3 kJ mol −1 ) and the synergistic effect between CoN/CoP substrates and their interactions with Ru particles and Ti 3 C 2 T x carriers. This study highlights the potential of multi-interface cooperation in advancing the design of heterogeneous catalysts for AB hydrolysis.