In the field of "hydrogen energy", sodium borohydride (NaBH[subscript 4]) is a potential hydrogen carrier able to release H[subscript 2] by hydrolysis in the presence of a metal catalyst. Our laboratory experiment focuses on this. It is intended for thirdyear undergraduate students in order to have hands-on laboratory experience through the synthesis of Co-Cu catalysts, X-ray characterization, and catalytic tests to qualitatively illustrate the Sabatier principle (volcano plot). The experiments require minimal preparation and are simple and instructive. Students gain experience in handling H[subscript 2] and a better understanding of the current issues hindering the development of the "hydrogen economy".