Modulation of metal/support interactions improves catalytic performance of Ni–Pt/CeO2 for hydrogen generation from hydrazine monohydrate

Controllable hydrogen generation through catalytic decomposition of hydrazine monohydrate (N2H4·H2O) holds promise for mobile and portable applications. However, the existing catalysts (such as Ni60Pt40/CeO2, CoPt/CeOx) often suffer from poor stability, and active site poisoning appears an important cause of deactivation. Here, we present a simple yet effective method to address this issue. By adding a Ce3+ salt during the precipitation-deposition process, we observed enhanced interactions between Ni–Pt alloy and CeO2 matrix, impacting the electronic structure and dispersion of Ni–Pt nanoparticles. Thus-obtained Ni4Pt/CeO2 catalyst exhibited an over two-fold increase in activity and an 80% retention after 10 cycles, outperforming conventional methods. The novel approach simultaneously improved activity and stability while maintaining a constant alloy composition. This catalyst demonstrated high activity, 100% H2 selectivity, and good stability in N2H4·H2O decomposition. Additionally, it enabled the construction of a high-capacity N2H4·H2O-based hydrogen generation system with rapid dynamic response.