Precious‐Metal‐Free Nanocatalysts for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Production from Hydrous Hydrazine

Hydrous hydrazine (H₂NNH₂·H₂O) has generally been considered a promising hydrogen storage carrier because of inherent advantages such as its high hydrogen content and easy recharging as a liquid. Unfortunately, the decomposition of hydrous hydrazine to H₂ is terribly sluggish and/or not entirely favored—a competing decomposition to ammonia may be preferred. This has been the case using noble‐metal catalysts and using non‐precious‐metal‐based catalysts, even at elevated temperatures. To overcome this challenge, non‐precious‐metal‐based Cu@Fe₅Ni₅ core@shell nanocatalysts are prepared using an in situ seeding‐growth approach. Unexpectedly, the catalyst exerts 100% H₂ selectivity and excellent activity and stability toward the complete decomposition of hydrous hydrazine, which is due to the synergistic effect of the core@shell structure. These promising results will certainly promote the effective application of hydrous hydrazine as a potential hydrogen storage material.