Preparation of boron and sodium by sodium metaborate reduction for the synthesis of sodium borohydride

摘要

A method for producing sodium and boron from sodium metaborate or sodium tetraborate by allowing sodium borate compound to react with at least one reductant.
Useful reductants comprise carbon, hydrocarbons, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and metal hydrides.
A preferred reductant is selected from C 1 -C 4 hydrocarbons.
The product mixture comprising sodium and boron is allowed to react with hydrogen to form sodium borohydride, a hydrogen source useful in fuel cell applications.
The method allows to recycle sodium metaborate, a by-product in fuel cell operation, to the desired source of hydrogen.