Polymeric hydrogels derived from 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propansulfonic acid (AMPS) were utilized in the preparation of cobalt (Co) metal nanoparticles and used as a composite-catalyst system in hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of NaBH4. The embedded Co nanoparticles in the p(AMPS) networks are on the order of 100 nm. It was demonstrated that the p(AMPS)-Co composite system was very effective in the production of hydrogen from alkali aqueous sodium boron hydride solutions. The effect of various parameters such as the initial concentration of NaBH4. the amount of catalyst and temperature on the hydrolysis reaction was evaluated. The activation energy for hydrogen production by Co particles was found to be 38.14 kJ mol(-1); while the activation enthalpy was 35.46 kJ mol(-1). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.