DOI: https://doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.20634

Effect of Sodium Borohydride to Ferric Chloride Molar Ratios on Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron for Hydrogen Generation from Formic Acid

1Waste Management and Resources Recovery (WeResCue) Group, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

2Graphite Signature Sdn Bhd, 31650 Ipoh, Malaysia

Received: 13 Jan 2026; Revised: 4 Mar 2026; Accepted: 5 Mar 2026; Available online: 9 Mar 2026; Published: 30 Aug 2026.
Editor(s): Istadi Istadi
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Abstract

Hydrogen generation from formic acid using nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) represents a promising route for low-cost and sustainable hydrogen production. However, the effect of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) to ferric chloride (FeCl₃) molar ratio on nZVI synthesis and performance remains insufficiently explored. This study investigated how varying NaBH₄:FeCl₃ molar ratios affect nZVI synthesis characteristics and its hydrogen generation efficiency from formic acid, which acts as a safe and easily handled hydrogen carrier. nZVI was synthesized through a one-step liquid-phase chemical reduction method using NaBH₄:FeCl₃ ratios ranging from 4.4:1 to 8.8:1. UV–Vis spectroscopy indicated that the 4.4:1 ratio yielded the highest nZVI formation, reflecting optimal reduction efficiency and particle formation. Hydrogen generation experiments conducted in a closed reactor equipped with a water displacement system revealed that nZVI synthesized at the 4.4:1 ratio achieved the maximum hydrogen volume (98 mL), which progressively declined to 53 mL at the 8.8:1 ratio. These findings demonstrate that precursor molar ratios significantly influence nZVI formation, stability, and reactivity toward hydrogen evolution. An optimal NaBH₄:FeCl₃ ratio of 4.4:1 was identified for maximizing nZVI formation and hydrogen volume, providing valuable insights for developing scalable formic acid–based hydrogen generation systems. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Keywords: Hydrogen; Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron; Formic acid; Sodium borohydride; Molar Ratio
Funding: Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Malaysia under contract FRGS/1/2022/TK08/UITM/02/5; Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Malaysia under contract FRGS/1/2023/TK08/UITM/02/10

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Section: 3rd International Symposium of Reaction Engineering, Catalysis and Sustainable Energy 2025 (RECASE 2025)
Language : EN
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