Hydrogen Evolution from Ammonia Borane Using Cobalt–Platinum Bimetallic Nanoparticles Supported on Sulfonated Carbon Derived from Salix babylonica Residues

In this work, a residue from the extraction of essential oil from Salix babylonica leaves was valorized as a sustainable carbon support for the synthesis of bimetallic Co/Pt nanoparticles, applied as nanocatalysts in the hydrolysis of ammonia borane for hydrogen fuel evolution. The oil was obtained by hydrodistillation, and the solid residue underwent a sulfonation process to produce sulfonated carbon with active functional groups. The nanoparticles were synthesized by depositing Co and Pt for their respective precursor salts using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. TEM, SEM, EDS, and XRD analyses confirmed the formation and homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles, while FTIR and BET results indicated interaction between the support and the metallic phases as well as a mesoporous structure of the material. The Co80Pt20NPs-SC nanoparticles exhibited the highest hydrogen generation rate (HGR), reaching 26,520 mL min–1 g–1 at 323.15 K, and demonstrated high stability, maintaining 90% of their activity after ten reuse cycles. Overall, these results highlight the potential of sulfonated biomass-derived carbon as an efficient and sustainable support for metallic nanocatalysts, offering a promising approach for hydrogen production from chemical hydrides and contributing to the development of greener energy technologies.