Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials，School of Materials Science and Engineering，Guilin University of Electronic Technology，Guilin 541004，China
With the energy crisis and environment pollution becoming increasingly serious，the development of green and renewable energy，such as hydrogen energy，has become a priority for meeting future global energy needs．A pivotal challenge in the application of hydrogen energy lies in the establishment of safe and efficient hydrogen storage technologies．Sodium borohydride (NaBH4)，characterized by its high theoretical hydrogen storage capacity and relatively low production cost，emerges as a promising solidstate hydrogen storage material．The controllable hydrogen generation and storage technology，realized through the hydrolysis of NaBH4，offers a compelling solution with its ‘production-storage-transport’ integrated approach．This technology holds the promise of surmounting existing hurdles in traditional hydrogen generation and storage methods，exhibiting particularly strong potential in onboard and portable hydrogen supply systems However，the catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH4 for hydrogen generation faces certain challenges，including sluggish hydrolysis kinetics，elevated catalyst expenses and complexities in regenerating hydrolysis byproducts．In this review，we introduce the physicochemical properties of NaBH4 and discuss the mechanistic aspects of hydrolysis for hydrogen generation．Furthermore，we provide a comprehensive overview of ongoing research in catalyst development for NaBH4 hydrolysis，strategies for byproduct recycling and advancements in hydrolysis equipment．Finally，the challenges and future directions for the evolution of NaBH4 hydrolysis as a pivotal method for hydrogen generation are pointed out as well．