Metal–Organic Frameworks as Heterogeneous Catalysts in Hydrogen Production from Lightweight Inorganic Hydrides

Ammonia–borane (NH3·BH3, AB), hydrazine (NH2NH2), lithium borohydride (Li(BH4)), and sodium alanate (Na(AlH4)) are popular chemical hydrogen storage inorganic solid materials featuring high gravimetric hydrogen contents (H wt %) and remarkable stability under ambient conditions. Ultrapure H2 is formed from these compounds either via pyrolysis (i.e., a simple material heating) or via hydrolysis (chemical reaction with water). In both cases, a series of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts have been designed to assist the process. Among the latter, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs, crystalline 3D porous lattices made of metallic nodes and organic polytopic linkers) have rapidly emerged as versatile candidates for this role. The nanoconfinement of lightweight hydrides in MOFs produces a “hydride@MOF” composite material. Hydride coordination to MOF exposed metal sites or its reaction with functional groups on the organic linkers facilitates the thermal decomposition, lowering the hydrogen release temperature...