Integrating agro‐residue valorization and clean hydrogen production: coconut fiber‐based catalysts for <scp> NaBH ₄ </scp> hydrolysis

Abstract A novel phosphoric acid‐treated green coconut fiber (GCF‐C) was developed as a catalyst for hydrogen production from the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ). Characterization techniques confirmed structural modifications, including X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared, and thermogravimetric analysis. The Taguchi method was applied to optimize the conditions, achieving an optimal hydrogen generation rate of 596.67 mLH 2 min −1 g −1 at 60 °C, 300 mg GCF‐C, and 750 mg NaBH 4 . Kinetic analysis indicated an activation energy ( E a ) of 28.95 kJ mol −1 for GCF‐C, significantly reducing the energy barrier for the reaction. The GCF‐C showed improved performance over untreated GCF, with a hydrogen production rate of 104.17 mLH 2 min −1 g −1 . The porous structure of the catalyst, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, enhanced reactant interaction, and X‐ray fluorescence analysis revealed higher phosphorus content, supporting catalytic efficiency. Future work will explore the potential for catalyst reuse and improvements to reduce atmospheric contamination in the reaction setup.