Basic concepts and recent advances in nitrophenol reduction by gold- and other transition metal nanoparticles

In-Situ Deposition of Plasmonic Gold Nanotriangles and Nanoprisms onto Layered Hydroxides for Full-Range Photocatalytic Response towards the Selective Reduction of p-Nitrophenol

In this work, we present photocatalysis as a greener alternative to conventional catalysis where harsh reaction conditions, temperature and/or pressure are needed. Photodegradation of organic pollutants is a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution for the decontamination of water and air, and is a field that has been continuously growing over the last decade. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles absorb light irradiation that is transferred to the chemical reaction in a different fashion. Furthermore, plasmonic nanostructures can be combined with other materials, such as semiconductors or a basic support, to create hybrid systems capable of overcoming certain challenges that photocatalysis is facing nowadays and to expand the photocatalytic response towards the whole visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) ranges. The main objective of this work has been to in-situ synthesize plasmonic anisotropic gold nanoparticles onto hydrotalcite (HT) and calcined hydrotalcite (CHT) supports by way of a sequential deposition-reduction (DR) process and to evaluate their efficiency as heterogeneous catalysts towards the selective oxidation of p-nitrophenol (hereafter 4-NP), a well-known model contaminant, either in the absence or the presence of full-range light irradiation sources (LEDs) spanning the whole UV-Vis-NIR range. Special attention has been paid to the optimization of the catalyst preparation parameters, including the pH and the concentration of reducing and stabilizing agents. Interestingly, the use of thermally modified hydrotalcites has enabled a strong metal-support interaction to induce the preferential formation of triangular-shaped Au nanoparticles with ca. 0.8 wt.% loading while increasing the colloidal stability and surface area of the catalyst with respect to the commercial untreated HT supports.

Morphology dependent catalysis and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies using Pd nanostructures in DNA, CTAB and PVA scaffolds

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) of three different morphologies viz., nanocubes with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nanowires with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Pd NPs with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) scaffolds were synthesized by UV-irradiation. Catalysis and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies were done with the synthesized morphologically distinct Pd nanostructures for the very first time. The catalytic rate was extremely high with Pd nanowires templated with PVA and the order of the catalytic rate was Pd nanowires in PVA > Pd nanocubes in CTAB > DNA-Pd wire-like assemblies. The highest catalytic rate was observed for PVA capped Pd nanowires which is a few hundred fold higher than other metal NP catalysts. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a Raman analyte for the SERS study and the largest EF of 1.9 × 10⁵ at a peak position of 1391 cm^-1 was observed with Pd nanowires in the DNA scaffold as a SERS substrate. The order of the SERS EF values was DNA-Pd wire-like assemblies > Pd nanocubes in CTAB > Pd nanowires in PVA. Beyond everything, the present synthesis route is easy, faster, candid, highly reproducible and cost-effective. In the near future, the same protocol could be applied to synthesize other materials for various applications.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Artemisia dracunculus extract: control of the shape and size by varying synthesis conditions

In this study, selective green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (nAu) with the use of Tarragon extract (Artemisia dracunculus) was investigated. Characterization of the synthetized nAu was carried out using several techniques including: UV-Vis, SEM, zeta potential analysis, DLS, and ATR-FTIR. Based on measurements of Tarragon extract by HPLC-MS, significant chemical substances participating as reducing and stabilizing agents were identified. FTIR confirmed typical functional groups that could be found in these acids on the nAu surface, such as O-H, C=O and C-O. The effects of various parameters (concentration of Tarragon extract, Au precursor, and initial pH of the synthesis) on the shape and size of the nanoparticles have been investigated. UV-Vis and SEM confirmed the formation of nAu at various concentrations of the extract and Au precursor and showed correlation between the added extract concentration and shift in maximal absorbance towards higher frequencies, indicating the formation of smaller nanoplates. Zeta potential determined at various pH levels revealed that its value decreased with pH, but for all experiments in the pH range of 2.8 to 5.0, the value is below - 30 mV, an absolute value high enough for long-term nAu stability. In order to evaluate nAu catalytic activity, the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by sodium borohydride was used as a model system. The reaction takes place 1.5 times faster on Au-triangles than on Au-spherical NPs.

High Reusability of Catalytically Active Gold Nanoparticles Immobilized in Core-Shell Hydrogel Microspheres

The reusability of hybrid core-shell microgels, whose core surfaces were decorated with gold nanoparticles, was investigated in terms of catalysis activity. Hybrid core-shell microgels composed of a rigid core and water-swollen gel shell endowed the immobilized gold nanoparticles with a high dispersion stability, which resulted in excellent catalytic activity. In contrast to free Au nanoparticles and conventional hybrid microgels, where the Au nanoparticles are randomly distributed over the entire microgel templates, the hydrogel shell part of the hybrid core-shell microgels suppressed the aggregation between the microgels and Au nanoparticles in individual microgels, which improved the reusability for the catalysis reaction. The results of this study should help to develop advanced catalyst systems that require high reusability even when the chemical reactions occur in aqueous solution and external stimuli are applied.

Sono-synthesis approach in uniform loading of ultrafine Ag nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide nanosheets: An efficient catalyst for the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

In this research, a facile, one step and eco-friendly sonochemical rout was utilized to the synthesis of a new nanocomposite by Ag nanoparticle anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO-Ag-U). Sonication was carried out by using low frequency ultrasound (20 kHz) under ambient condition. In this way, graphene oxide and Ag⁺ ions simultaneously reduced by polyol without using any additional reactants or capping agents. The polyol serves as both solvent and low toxic reducing agent. To achieve the best synthesis condition of rGO-Ag-U nanocomposite, the effects of irradiation time, ultrasonic amplitude and reaction temperature were investigated. In comparison, the synthesis of rGO-Ag was also carried out via reflux as a classical method (rGO-Ag-C). It was found that ultrasonic irradiation for 10 min at 70% amplitude was sufficient for the synthesis of rGO-Ag-U. Several analytical techniques were used to characterize the resulting nanocomposites such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The UV-Vis spectra show a shift of GO band to a higher wavelength which is due to the reduction of sp³ sites. The results of TEM also confirm the smaller Ag nanoparticle (about 18 nm) which uniformly decorated on rGO nanosheets by sonochemical method than classical method. The experimental data suggest that among the synthesized nanocomposites, rGO-Ag-U exhibited better catalytic activity (k_app = 1.18 min^-1) towards the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄).

Catalysis by Metallic Nanoparticles in Solution: Thermosensitive Microgels as Nanoreactors

Metallic nanoparticles have been used as catalysts for various reactions, and the huge literature on the subject is hard to overlook. In many applications, the nanoparticles must be affixed to a colloidal carrier for easy handling during catalysis. These “passive carriers” (e.g. dendrimers) serve for a controlled synthesis of the nanoparticles and prevent coagulation during catalysis. Recently, hybrids from nanoparticles and polymers have been developed that allow us to change the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles by external triggers. In particular, single nanoparticles embedded in a thermosensitive network made from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) have become the most-studied examples of such hybrids: immersed in cold water, the PNIPAM network is hydrophilic and fully swollen. In this state, hydrophilic substrates can diffuse easily through the network, and react at the surface of the nanoparticles. Above the volume transition located at 32°C, the network becomes hydrophobic and shrinks. Now hydrophobic substrates will preferably diffuse through the network and react with other substrates in the reaction catalyzed by the enclosed nanoparticle. Such “active carriers”, may thus be viewed as true nanoreactors that open new ways for the use of nanoparticles in catalysis. In this review, we give a survey on recent work done on these hybrids and their application in catalysis. The aim of this review is threefold: we first review hybrid systems composed of nanoparticles and thermosensitive networks and compare these “active carriers” to other colloidal and polymeric carriers (e.g. dendrimers). In a second step we discuss the model reactions used to obtain precise kinetic data on the catalytic activity of nanoparticles in various carriers and environments. These kinetic data allow us to present a fully quantitative comparison of different nanoreactors. In a final section we shall present the salient points of recent efforts in the theoretical modeling of these nanoreactors. By accounting for the presence of a free-energy landscape for the reactants’ diffusive approach towards the catalytic nanoparticle, arising from solvent-reactant and polymeric shell-reactant interactions, these models are capable of explaining the emergence of all the important features observed so far in studies of nanoreactors. The present survey also suggests that such models may be used for the design of future carrier systems adapted to a given reaction and solvent.

Performance of Preformed Au/Cu Nanoclusters Deposited on MgO Powders in the Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol in Solution

The deposition of preformed nanocluster beams onto suitable supports represents a new paradigm for the precise preparation of heterogeneous catalysts. The performance of the new materials must be validated in model catalytic reactions. It is shown that gold/copper (Au/Cu) nanoalloy clusters (nanoparticles) of variable composition, created by sputtering and gas phase condensation before deposition onto magnesium oxide powders, are highly active for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol in solution at room temperature. Au/Cu bimetallic clusters offer decreased catalyst cost compared with pure Au and the prospect of beneficial synergistic effects. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy coupled with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging confirms that the Au/Cu bimetallic clusters have an alloy structure with Au and Cu atoms randomly located. Reaction rate analysis shows that catalysts with approximately equal amounts of Au and Cu are much more active than Au-rich or Cu-rich clusters. Thus, the interplay between the Au and Cu atoms at the cluster surface appears to enhance the catalytic activity substantially, consistent with model density functional theory calculations of molecular binding energies. Moreover, the physically deposited clusters with Au/Cu ratio close to 1 show a 25-fold higher activity than an Au/Cu reference sample made by chemical impregnation.

Novel core-shell-like nanocomposites xCu@Cu2O/MgAlO-rGO through an in situ self-reduction strategy for highly efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol

A series of novel hierarchical nanocomposite catalysts xCu@Cu₂O/MgAlO-rGO were fabricated by calcination of Cu_xMg_3-xAl-LDH/rGO precursors (LDH: layered double hydroxide, rGO: reduced graphene oxide, and x = 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5), obtained by a facile citric acid-assisted coprecipitation route, under a N₂ flow upon in situ self-reduction of lattice atomic-dispersed Cu²⁺ by rGO. Systematic characterization reveals highly dispersed core-shell-like Cu@Cu₂O nanoparticles near the border between vertically interconnected mixed oxide MgAlO nanoplates and rGO layers. All the obtained catalysts show extraordinary catalytic performances for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) at room temperature. The 1.0Cu@Cu₂O/MgAlO-rGO shows the highest activity for complete conversion of 4-NP with an apparent rate constant (k_app) of 55.3 × 10^-3 s^-1, a normalized rate constant (k_nor) of 14 497 s^-1 g^-1 on an active Cu content, and an unprecedented recycling stability for 25 successive cycles, which are superior to those of the recently reported Cu- and Co-based metal nanoparticles and even compared favourably with those of the most active noble metal catalysts. The superior activity of 1.0Cu@Cu₂O/MgAlO-rGO can be attributed to the highly dispersed core-shell-like Cu@Cu₂O nanoparticles and the greatly enhanced four-phase synergistic effect among Cu, Cu₂O, MgAlO and rGO upon calcination. Moreover, 1.0Cu@Cu₂O/MgAlO-rGO shows an excellent efficiency in the fixed bed system for the treatment of simulated industrial effluents containing nitrophenols and organic dyes. The present cost-effective, highly efficient and reusable non-noble metal nanocatalyst would open a new pathway for future water remediation.

The Langmuir-Hinshelwood approach for kinetic evaluation of cucurbit[7]uril-capped gold nanoparticles in the reduction of the antimicrobial nitrofurantoin

In this work, gold nanoparticles protected by the macrocycle cucurbit[7]uril were used as a catalyst in the reduction of the hazardous antimicrobial nitrofurantoin. 4-Nitrophenol was also employed as the substrate of the reduction for comparative purposes. The kinetic data were modeled to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation to know the affinities of the reactants for the surface and the real kinetic constants, a comparison at the molecular level that is made for the first time. From the results, it was observed that the adsorption of nitrofurantoin was stronger than that of 4-nitrophenol whilst the kinetic constant on the surface was higher for 4-nitrophenol than for nitrofurantoin. Additionally, shifts in the nanoparticle surface plasmon band permitted insights to be obtained into the adsorption rate and strength. The reaction induction times were also investigated and were highly dependent on the borohydride concentration and, due to the higher surface affinity of nitrofurantoin compared with 4-nitrophenol, an increase in nitrofurantoin concentration increased the induction time, while a lag phase was not observed for 4-nitrophenol.

The point-of-care colorimetric detection of the biomarker of phenylamine in the human urine based on Tb3+ functionalized metal-organic framework

Phenylamine has been recognized as one of the most important industrially relevant ingredient and a crucial intermediate in chemical products. Yet, its internal exposure detection in human remains largely elusive due to the lack of potent monitoring method. Hereby this issue is addressed with a probe based on lanthanide functionalized organic-inorganic hybrid material Al(OH)(bpydc) (1) through post-synthetically modified metal-organic framework. The as-synthesized Tb³⁺@1 exhibits the strong luminescence of Tb³⁺ originated from efficient energy transfer from the ligand, which can sense the biological metabolite p-aminophenol (PAP) of the phenylamine in the human urine. Linear correlation between the integrated fluorescence intensity and the concentration of PAP was investigated, enabling quantitative analysis of PAP in physiologically ranges (0.005-5 mg mL^-1) with low detection limit (5 μg mL^-1). This probe demonstrates excellent sensitivity, high selectivity, good reusability and quick response to PAP. Furthermore, a simple and rapid smartphone-based medical portable test paper was developed, whose quantitative color change can be easily distinguished visually. Hence, the PAP sensing platform can serve as a potential diagnostic tool for home monitoring of PAP.

The influence of amine structures on the stability and catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles stabilized by amine-modified hyperbranched polymers

Amine-modified amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers (MePEG-H104-Nx) were prepared from hyperbranched 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid polyester (H104) by decoration with polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (MePEG) and different classes of oligo(ethylenimine)s. By using the MePEG-H104-Nx polymers as stabilizers, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared in an aqueous medium by the reduction of HAuCl₄ with NaBH₄. The AuNPs were sphere-like with diameters of 2-4 nm, which were dependent on the structure of the amines. Further, the catalytic activity of these AuNPs was evaluated by monitoring the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride. The results demonstrate that the longer chain length and the branched structure of the amine moieties are beneficial for the stability and catalytic activity of the AuNPs. The AuNPs stabilized by MePEG-H104-N4 and MePEG-H104-Nb3 showed high catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol.

DNA metallization: principles, methods, structures, and applications

This review summarizes the research activities on DNA metallization since the concept was first proposed in 1998, covering the principles, methods, structures, and applications.

Visible light-driven selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aromatics in an aqueous solution by direct photocatalysis of Au nanoparticles

Selective hydrogenation of various chemical bonds, such as CC, CC, CO, NO, and CN, is efficiently driven by visible light over a supported gold nanoparticle (AuNP) photocatalyst under mild reaction conditions.

An integrated nanocatalyst combining enzymatic and metal–organic framework catalysts for cascade degradation of organophosphate nerve agents

An integrated nanocatalyst that combined a metal–organic framework-based catalyst and a biocatalyst was developed for cascade degradation of organophosphate nerve agents.

Stabilisation of small mono- and bimetallic gold–silver nanoparticles using calix[8]arene derivatives

We report a facile approach to synthesise small Au–Ag alloyed nanoparticles using a new cali[8]arene derivative as a stabiliser.

Silver nanoparticle embedded copper oxide as an efficient core–shell for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and antibacterial activity improvement

A facile and eco-friendly method was developed to prepare a microporous CuO@Ag⁰ core–shell with high catalytic and antibacterial activities.

Facile hydrogenation of N-heteroarenes by magnetic nanoparticle-supported sub-nanometric Rh catalysts in aqueous medium

This work describes the preparation and systematic characterization of a reusable magnetic heterogeneous nanocatalyst (Rh@Fe₃O₄) for the hydrogenation of N-heterocycles and simple aromatics.

Copper nanoparticles grafted on carbon microspheres as novel heterogeneous catalysts and their application for the reduction of nitrophenol and one-pot multicomponent synthesis of hexahydroquinolines

Carbon microsphere-supported Cu nanoparticles were fabricated, characterized, and applied for synthesis.

Gold, silver and nickel nanoparticle anchored cellulose nanofiber composites as highly active catalysts for the rapid and selective reduction of nitrophenols in water

Highly active metal nanoparticle (MNP) supported cellulose nanofiber (CNF) composites (Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF) were prepared for the reduction of 4- and 2-nitrophenols (4-NP and 2-NP) in water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the ultrafine nanoparticles (Au, Ni and Ag NPs) were uniformly deposited on CNFs surface. The content of Au (9.7 wt%), Ni (21.5 wt%) and Ag (22.6 wt%) in Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF respectively was determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and inductive coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) analysis. The chemical state of the MNPs in Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The significant metal-support interaction was studied by means of XPS. The Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF demonstrated excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of nitrophenols to aminophenols in water. To our delight, even a very low amount of catalyst was also found to be good enough to achieve 100% reduction of 4- and 2-NP with a higher reaction rate (within 5 min). The best rate constant (k_app) values were determined for the cellulose nanocomposites. To the best our knowledge, Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF are the most efficient nanocatalysts for the reduction of 4- and 2-NP reported to date. The catalytic performance of Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF was compared with previously reported results. A possible mechanism has been proposed for these catalytic systems.

Metal nanoparticles supported cellulose nanofiber composites (Au/CNF, Ni/CNF and Ag/CNF) were found to be highly efficient nanocatalysts for the rapid and selective reduction of nitrophenols in water.

Biosynthesis of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles by Halomonas elongata IBRC-M 10214 in different conditions of medium

Introduction: In the recent years, green synthesis is a novel method without some disadvantages of physical and chemical methods. In this approach, bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and plants may be applied without utilizing toxic and expensive materials for metal nanoparticles (MNPs) preparation. Methods: In this study, we used Taguchi method to obtain optimum conditions in titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticle (NPs) biosynthesis by Halomonas elongata IBRC-M 10214. Design and analysis of Taguchi experiments (an orthogonal assay and analysis of variance [ANOVA]) carried out by the Qualitek-4 software. Effects of TiO(OH)2, incubation temperature, and culturing time for synthesis of TiO2 NPs as well as ZnCl2 concentration, glucose concentration, and incubation temperature for the preparation of ZnO NPs were evaluated as the controllable factors with 3 levels. Characterization of TiO2 and ZnO NPs were determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. Also, the antimicrobial properties of these NPs were investigated based on agar diffusion assay of NPs dispersed in batch cultures using Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 as multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Results: It was evaluated that TiO2 and ZnO NPs had respectively average diameter sizes of 104.63±27.75 and 18.11±8.93 nm with spherical shapes. In contrast to the TiO2 NPs without antibacterial activity, the ZnO NPs had antibacterial effects at 0.1 and 0.01 M of (ZnCl2). Conclusion: The ZnO NPs have the antibacterial effect that can be operative in the medicinal aspect for fighting against prominent MDR bacteria such as E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 43300. In total, this study presents a simple method in the biosynthesis of TiO2 and ZnO NPs with low the expense, eco-friendly, and high productivity properties.

One-Pot Green Synthesis of Ag-Decorated SnO2 Microsphere: an Efficient and Reusable Catalyst for Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

In this paper, hierarchical Ag-decorated SnO2 microspheres were synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. The resulting composites were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, BET, and FTIR analysis. The catalytic performances of the samples were evaluated with the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by potassium borohydride (KBH4) as a model reaction. Time-dependent experiments indicated that the hierarchical microspheres assembled from SnO2 and Ag nanoparticles can be formed when the react time is less than 10 h. With the increase of hydrothermal time, SnO2 nanoparticles will self-assemble into SnO2 nanosheets and Ag nanoparticles decorated SnO2 nanosheets were obtained. When evaluated as catalyst, the obtained Ag-decorated SnO2 microsphere prepared for 36 h exhibited excellent catalytic performance with normalized rate constant (κ nor) of 6.20 min-1g-1L, which is much better than that of some previous reported catalysts. Moreover, this Ag-decorated SnO2 microsphere demonstrates good reusability after the first five cycles. In addition, we speculate the formation mechanism of the hierarchical Ag-decorated SnO2 microsphere and discussed the possible origin of the excellent catalytic activity.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using fungus Mariannaea sp. HJ and their catalysis in reduction of 4-nitrophenol

In the present study, biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by the cells (cells-AuNPs) and cell-free extracts (extracts-AuNPs) of a new fungus Mariannaea sp. HJ was reported. The as-synthesized particles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effects of different parameters on AuNP biosynthesis were investigated, and initial gold ion concentration of 2 mM, pH 7, was demonstrated to be suitable for both cells-AuNP and extracts-AuNP syntheses. The cells-AuNPs were of various shapes, including sphere, hexagon, and irregular shapes, with an average size of 37.4 nm, while the extracts-AuNPs were almost spherical and pseudo-spherical with an average size of 11.7 nm. XRD pattern suggested that the crystal structure of both AuNPs was face-centered cubic. FTIR spectra implied that some biomolecules from the fungal cell walls or cell-free extracts were involved in the formation of AuNPs. The as-synthesized AuNPs were demonstrated to have excellent catalytic activities for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with the catalytic rate constants of 5.7 × 10^-3/s for cells-AuNPs and 24.7 × 10^-3/s for extracts-AuNPs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on AuNP biosynthesis by Mariannaea sp.

Synthesis of Au-Pd Bimetallic Nanoflowers for Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Due to the great potential to improve catalytic performance, gold (Au) and palladium (Pd) bimetallic catalysts have prompted structure-controlled synthesis of Au-Pd nanoalloys bounded by high-index facets. In this work, we prepared Au-Pd bimetallic nanoflowers (NFs) with a uniform size, well-defined dendritic morphology, and homogeneous alloy structure in an aqueous solution by seed-mediated synthesis. The prepared bimetallic NFs were fully characterized using a combination of transmission electron microscopy, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry measurements. The catalytic activities of the prepared Au-Pd nanoparticles for 4-nitrophenol reduction were also investigated, and the activities are in the order of Au@Pd NFs > Au-Pd NFs (Au₁Pd₁ core) > Au-Pd NFs (Au core), which could be related to the content and exposed different reactive surfaces of Pd in alloys. This result clearly demonstrates that the superior activities of Au-Pd alloy nanodendrites could be attributed to the synergy between Au and Pd in catalysts.

Carbon Dots as Nanodispersants for Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Reduced Cytotoxicity and Metal Nanoparticle Functionalization

The colloidal stabilization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in an aqueous medium through noncovalent interactions has potential benefits toward the practical use of this one-dimensional carbonaceous material for biomedical applications. Here, we report that fluorescent carbon nanodots can efficiently function as dispersing agents in the preparation of stable aqueous suspensions of CNTs at significant concentrations (0.5 mg/mL). The amphiphilic nature of carbon dots with a hydrophobic graphitic core could effectively interact with the CNT surface, whereas hydrophilic oxygenated functionalization on the C-dot surface provided excellent water dispersibility. The resultant CNT-C-dot composite showed significantly reduced cytotoxicity compared to that of unmodified or protein-coated CNTs, as demonstrated by cell viability and proliferation assays. Furthermore, the reducing capability of C-dots could be envisaged toward the formation of a catalytically active metal nanoparticle-CNT-C-dot composite without the addition of any external reducing or stabilizing agents that showed excellent catalytic activity toward the reduction of p-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH₄. Overall, the present work establishes C-dots as an efficient stabilizer for aqueous dispersions of CNTs, leading to an all-carbon nanocomposite that can be useful for different practical applications.