氨硼烷因储氢高，而成为制氢研究热点之一。催化剂可以显著降低氨硼烷热解温度，提高其水解放氢速率，是影响其放氢的关键因素。然而，催化性能较好的催化剂多为贵金属或贵金属复合物。非贵金属Ni由于具有成本低以及高效的催化活性而备受关注，尤其是尺寸处于2 nm以下的超细纳米粒子。本项目以此为切入点，采用反相微乳液法可控合成2 nm以下超细纳米Ni材料；采用X射线衍射、原子力显微镜、电镜、能谱、BET吸附等实验检测手段，研究催化材料的物相组成、微观结构、晶粒尺寸等因素对氨硼烷放氢性能的影响，建立材料的微观表面性质与催化性能之间的关联；并且通过催化反应中间产物检测与理论计算相结合，推断氨硼烷热解、水解放氢反应的机理，进而从根本上提出高效催化剂应具备的结构特征。本项目旨在可控制备超细纳米Ni材料，揭示影响催化剂性能的关键因素，对氨硼烷放氢研究有重要意义。

Ammonia borane has been considered as a promising candidate material for hydrogen generation due to its very large hydrogen content. The temperature pyrolysis from ammonia borane will be lower and the rate of hydrolysis will be faster with proper catalysts. Although noble metal catalysts show higher catalytic activity, they are more expensive. The non-noble metal Ni catalysts are low cost, especially when nanoparticles with sizes below 2 nm will exhibit remarkable catalytic properties due to their precise and ultrafine dimensions. We will use inverse microemulsion method to controllable synthsize the ultrafine nickel nanoparticles catalysts. The catalysts will be characterized using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, EDS and BET nitrogen adsorption measurements and so on. The phase composition, crystal structure and crystallite size of the catalysts will be studied. We will do research on how the factors influence the catalysis. It will point out that the structure characteristic of the high efficiency catalyst, and establish the relationship of the catalysis and the physical propertiethes of the materials. On the basis of the detection of the intermediate and the simulation of the reaction, it will infer the mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction, including pyrolysis and hydrolysis. These subjects aim to controllable synthsize the ultrafine nickel nanoparticles and reveal the key effect of the catalytic performance. It is significant to study for the hydrogen generation of ammonia borane.