Kinetic investigation for the catalytic reduction of nitrophenol using ionic liquid stabilized gold nanoparticles

The Self-Assembly of Cationic Metal Complexes on Gold Nanoparticle Surface

This work aims to study the interaction between cationic metal complexes (M z +) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs z- ). The M z + complexes were chosen from previous works described in the literature and were synthesized as defined. For example, they are as follows: 1 = [RuCl(dppb)(bipy)(py)](PF6); 2 = [RuCl(dppb)(bipy)(vpy)](PF6); 3 = [RuCl(dppb)(bipy)(mepy)](PF6); 4 = [RuCl(dppb)(bipy)(tbpy)](PF6); 5 = [RuCl2(dppb)(bipy)](PF6); 6 = [Fe(bipy)3]Cl2; 7 = [Ru(bipy)3](PF6)2; 8 = [TPyP{RuCl(dppb)(bipy)}4](PF6)4; and 9 = [RuCl(p-cymene)(Diipmp)](PF6). The interactions between M z + and AuNPs z- were carried out using conductometry and UV-vis spectroscopy. These experiments allowed determination of kinetic parameters, revealing three different steps in the interaction process: induction time, flocculation, and agglomeration. The self-assembly between M z + and AuNPs z- was investigated using three different models of binding site, namely, Langmuir or direct plot, Benesi-Hildebrand, and Scatchard. These models provide the fraction of total binding sites occupied (θ), the formation constant (K f), which is dependent on the temperature and geometric structure of each group of M z +, and the Gibbs free energy of reaction (ΔG r ), which was negative for each pair of M z + and AuNPs z- , revealing a spontaneous agglomeration process. The Hill coefficient (n) was 1 for almost all complexes, indicating that agglomeration is an independent process, except for 5, where n = 2, suggesting a positive propensity to bind onto the AuNPs z- surface. The models have confirmed a noncovalent interaction between these species. The relative error in site binding does not show any variation with changes in the temperature, but a fine-tuning of the n value to 1.00 was observed with the increase of the temperature. Finally, the reduction reaction of the 4-nitrophenolate anion (4-NP-) by NaBH4 catalyzed by AuNPs z- was used in the presence of M z + as an evaluation test to show how the M z + species will disturb the 4-NP- binding site on the surface of gold nanoparticles.

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-copper nanocomposites and their catalytic properties for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Biopolymer-based copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have become an area of significant interest due to their wide-ranging applications in a variety of fields. However, there remains a challenge in tailoring their morphologies and improving their properties. In this study, CuNPs were synthesized via wet chemical reduction using sodium hypophosphite monohydrate (NaH2PO2·H2O), l-ascorbic acid and chitosan. The effect of different synthesis conditions, including reaction pH, temperature, time, concentration of NaH2PO2·H2O, l-ascorbic acid and chitosan, as well as the deacetylation degree (DD) of chitosan, on the synthesis of CuNPs was investigated. The synthesized CuNPs were characterized by various analytical techniques. The catalytic properties of synthesized CuNPs were investigated for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the presence of sodium borohydride. The synthesis-morphology-catalytic activity relationship of CuNPs was discussed. The results suggested that the morphology of CuNPs could be adjusted by controlling the synthesis conditions. Chitosan DD significantly impacts the morphology of the synthesized CuNPs. As the chitosan DD decreased from 91.8 % to 52.3 %, the average particle size of synthesized CuNPs decreased from 43.9 ± 10.6 to 17.7 ± 5.9 nm and the shape changed from anisotropy to near-sphere. CuNPs synthesized using low DD (53.2 %) chitosan (CuNPs-N3) demonstrated the highest 4-NP conversion rate of 99.1 % and reaction rate constant of 0.3540 min-1. CuNPs-N3 was thermodynamically and kinetically more feasible than CuNPs synthesized with high DD chitosan. These findings provide important insights for further designing and developing hierarchical nanostructured CuNPs catalysts for broader applications.

Fluorescent Noncovalent Organic Framework for Supporting Gold Nanoparticles as Heterogeneous Catalyst with Merits of Easy Detection and Recycle

A porous noncovalent organic framework with AIE effect is designed and synthesized as the support for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The framework is fabricated through the electrostatic complexation between carboxymethyl cellulose and tetraphenylethene-containing ammonium surfactant, which can complex AuNPs via the noncovalent interactions to offer a heterogeneous catalyst. Compared to the covalent modification on cellulose, this noncovalent framework gains superiorities in the catalyst synthesis and the size control of AuNPs. The AIE property and water-insolubility allow such heterogeneous catalysts to be easily detected, separated, and recycled, opening a new pathway for the reduction of nitrobenzene compounds and some dye compounds in aqueous conditions, which present the features of green chemistry. The use of cellulose for developing new heterogeneous metal catalysts, especially in a noncovalent way, would promote the value-added utilization of cellulose. This work provides a design strategy for gaining heterogeneous metal catalysts by taking advantage of natural bioresources.

Insight into the 4-nitrophenol reduction, supercapacitive behavior, and antimicrobial activity of ZnCo2O4-rGO nanocomposite fabricated by the simple reflux method

In this article, binary oxide ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed on reduced graphene oxide surface by simple reflux condensation method. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized nanocomposite were computed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The average size of ZnCo2O4 NPs is found to be about 9 nm. The synthesized nanocomposite was found to be an extremely efficient catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to produce 4-aminophenol (4-AP) and it is exhibited that about 98% 4-nitrophenol can be reduced in only 20 min. The nanocomposite behaves as supercapacitor due to possessing the specific capacitance value up to 609 F/g and excellent capacitance retention over 1000 cycles. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis has been conducted to evaluate surface area and pore size of the synthesized material. The antimicrobial activity of this nanocomposite was performed against bacterial strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and it is noticed to be a good antimicrobial agent against different bacterial strains.

Scalable Synthesis of Dodecanethiol-Capped Bismuth Nanoparticles by a Solvent-Free Solid-State Grinding Method for Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol

Thiol-capped metal nanoparticles have two constituents: an inorganic metal and an organic molecule as a shell. Both characters are inbuilt in the structure of the metal thiolate. Herein, we have investigated bismuth dodecanethiolate as a precursor for the synthesis of dodecanethiol-capped bismuth nanoparticles (Bi NPs) by a solid-state grinding method. By using sodium borohydride and bismuth dodecanethiolate, crystalline bismuth nanoparticles are synthesized in a solvent-free environment at room temperature (24 ± 4 °C). Bi NPs are tested for catalytic activity by reducing 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with an excess of NaBH4. Dodecanethiol-capped bismuth nanoparticles exhibit an efficient reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP within 12 min. Additionally, these nanoparticles remain catalytically active for up to three cycles.

Ionic Liquid Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework ([DEIm][PF6]@MOF-5): Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Application in the Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

A novel, unique, highly effective, and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst, diethyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid supported metal-organic framework ([DEIm][PF₆]@MOF-5), has been synthesized using a simple impregnation method at ambient temperature. Characterization of the catalyst was done through various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental mapping, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analyses. The kinetic study has shown the high catalytic performance of [DEIm][PF₆]@MOF-5 for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (NP) compared to other catalysts. The catalyst also exhibited efficient electrochemical activity toward 4-NP reduction. The catalyst was recyclable for more than seven cycles without any significant loss in its catalytic performance. The recycled catalyst was further studied using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TGA analyses to investigate the structural changes that occurred during the reaction. The catalyst maintained its structural integrity even after seven cycles.

Remediation of wastewater containing 4-nitrophenol using ionic liquid stabilized nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterizations and applications

In the present study, an ionic liquid (IL) based on 1-butyl-3- (trimethoxysilylpropyl) -imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL) was prepared using metathesis and anion exchange reactions and used to stabilize silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles. The IL-stabilized silver nanoparticles AgNPs@[BMSI]BF₄ were produced in an aqueous solution with NaBH₄ as a reducing agent. TGA, FTIR, XRD, BET, FSEM, TEM/HRTEM, XPS, and UV-Vis spectra were used to analyze AgNPs@[BMSI]BF₄ and were used for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of NaBH₄. AgNPs@[BMSI]BF₄ showed excellent catalytic properties for the reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP and showed 100% conversion of 4-NP to 4-AP within 6 min and the rate constant (k) was found to be 8.33 × 10^-3 s^-1. The reusability results indicated that 97.8% of 4-NP was converted to 4-AP with highly stable rate constants over six consecutive cycles. The activity factor (AF) and the turn-over frequency (TOF) at room temperature were 3.33 s^-1 gm^-1 and 0.166 s^-1, respectively. This study extends a new approach to the production of stable catalysts for the growing needs in wastewater treatment.

Novel biogenic gold nanoparticles stabilized on poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as an effective material for reduction of nitrophenols and colorimetric detection of Pb(II)

Biogenic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been extensively studied for the catalytic conversion of nitrophenols (NP) into aminophenols and the colorimetric quantification of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions. However, the high self-agglomeration ability of colloidal nanoparticles is one of the major obstacles hindering their application. In the present study, we offered novel biogenic AuNPs synthesized by a green approach using Cistanche deserticola (CD) extract as a bioreducing agent and stabilized on poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA). The prepared Au@PSMA nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques (HR-TEM, SEAD, FE-SEM, DLS, TGA, XRD, and FTIR) and studied for two applications: the catalytic reduction of 3-NP by NaBH₄ and the sensing detection of Pb²⁺ ions. The optimal conditions for the synthesis of AuNPs were investigated and established at 60 °C, 20 min, pH of 9, and 0.5 mM Au³⁺. Morphological studies showed that AuNPs synthesized by CD extract were mostly spherical with a mean diameter of 25 nm, while the size of polymer-integrated AuNPs was more than two-fold larger. Since PSMA acted as a matrix keeping the nanoparticles from coagulation and maintaining the optimal surface area, AuNPs integrated with PSMA showed higher catalytic efficiency with a faster reaction rate and lower activation energy than conventional nanoparticles. Au@PSMA could completely reduce 3-NP within 10 min with a rate constant of 0.127 min^-1 and activation energy of 9.96 kJ/mol. The presence of PSMA also improved the stability and recyclability of AuNPs. Used as a sensor, Au@PSMA exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Pb²⁺ ions with a limit of detection of 0.03 μM in the linear range of 0-100 μM. The study results suggested that Au@PSMA could be used as a promising catalyst for the reduction of NP and the colorimetric sensor for detection of Pb²⁺ ions in aqueous environmental samples.

3-D porous cellulose nanofibril aerogels with a controllable copper nanoparticle loading as a highly efficient non-noble-metal catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Nitrophenols(NPs) are highly toxic compounds that occur in various industrial effluents. Herein, we investigated Cu nanoparticle-loaded cellulose nanofibril (CNF/PEI-Cu) aerogels as a catalyst for degrading 4-nitrophenol (4NP) in the wastewater. Non-noble metal based low-cost catalyst material and easily scalable preparation method make CNF/PEI-Cu aerogel as an appropriate catalyst for practical application in 4NP wastewater treatment. Our strategy to improve the loading amount of homogeneously distributed Cu nanoparticles was to functionalize a CNF aerogel using polyethylene imine (PEI), which can bind Cu²⁺ ions. Porous CNF aerogels with homogenously distributed 20-40 nm Cu nanoparticles were obtained by adsorbing Cu²⁺ ions and chemically reducing them to Cu metal. The FTIR, XRD, SEM, XPS and ICP-OES analysis were used to confirm the in-situ formation of Cu nanoparticles. In the presence of the CNF/PEI-Cu aerogels, 4NP was effectively reduced to 4-aminophenol (4AP) without loss of the Cu nanoparticles. The activation energy (E_a) and reaction rate constant (k_app) of the catalytic 4NP reduction reaction by the CNF/PEI2-Cu aerogels were calculated to be E_a = 39.56 kJ mol^-1 and k_app = 0.770 min^-1, respectively. The E_a is similar or even smaller than the E_a values of the corresponding reactions involving noble-metal catalysts, demonstrating that the CNF/PEI-Cu aerogels developed in the present study have strong potential as practical and economical catalysts.

Nickel foam supported porous copper oxide catalysts with noble metal-like activity for aqueous phase reactions

Contiguous metal foams offer a multitude of advantages over conventional powders as supports for nanostructured heterogeneous catalysts; most critically a preformed 3-D porous framework ensuring full directional coverage of supported catalyst, and intrinsic ease of handling and recyclability. Nonetheless, metal foams remain comparatively underused in thermal catalysis compared to more conventional supports such as amorphous carbon, metal oxides, zeolites and more recently MOFs. Herein, we demonstrate a facile preparation of highly-reactive, robust, and easy to handle Ni foam-supported Cu-based metal catalysts. The highly sustainable synthesis requires no specialized equipment, no surfactants or additive redox reagents, uses water as solvent, and CuCl2(H2O)2 as precursor. The resulting material seeds as well-separated micro-crystalline Cu2(OH)3Cl evenly covering the Ni foam. Calcination above 400 °C transforms the Cu2(OH)3Cl to highly porous CuO. All materials display promising activity towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and methyl orange. Notably, our leading CuO-based material displays 4-nitrophenol reduction activity comparable with very reactive precious-metal based systems. Recyclability studies highlight the intrinsic ease of handling for the Ni foam support, and our results point to a very robust, highly recyclable catalyst system.

Surface-Functionalized Au-Pd Nanorods with Enhanced Photothermal Conversion and Catalytic Performance

Bimetallic nanostructures comprising plasmonic and catalytic components have recently emerged as a promising approach to generate a new type of photo-enhanced nanoreactors. Most designs however concentrate on plasmon-induced charge separation, leaving photo-generated heat as a side product. This work presents a photoreactor based on Au-Pd nanorods with an optimized photothermal conversion, which aims to effectively utilize the photo-generated heat to increase the rate of Pd-catalyzed reactions. Dumbbell-shaped Au nanorods were fabricated via a seed-mediated growth method using binary surfactants. Pd clusters were selectively grown at the tips of the Au nanorods, using the zeta potential as a new synthetic parameter to indicate the surfactant remaining on the nanorod surface. The photothermal conversion of the Au-Pd nanorods was improved with a thin layer of polydopamine (PDA) or TiO₂. As a result, a 60% higher temperature increment of the dispersion compared to that for bare Au rods at the same light intensity and particle density could be achieved. The catalytic performance of the coated particles was then tested using the reduction of 4-nitrophenol as the model reaction. Under light, the PDA-coated Au-Pd nanorods exhibited an improved catalytic activity, increasing the reaction rate by a factor 3. An analysis of the activation energy confirmed the photoheating effect to be the dominant mechanism accelerating the reaction. Thus, the increased photothermal heating is responsible for the reaction acceleration. Interestingly, the same analysis shows a roughly 10% higher reaction rate for particles under illumination compared to under dark heating, possibly implying a crucial role of localized heat gradients at the particle surface. Finally, the coating thickness was identified as an essential parameter determining the photothermal conversion efficiency and the reaction acceleration.

Enhanced fluorescence quenching for p-nitrophenol in imidazolium ionic liquids using a europium-based fluorescent probe

p-Nitrophenol (PNP) is a toxic contaminant in water, the detection of which has attracted considerable attention. Since ionic liquids (ILs) have been widely used as popular solvents in both extraction and catalysts for PNP, the remediation of PNP is not limited to water and traditional organic solvents. Thus, it is significant to develop approaches for the detection of PNP in ILs. Accordingly, the present work is focused on the detection of PNP in a series of imidazolium-based ILs, 1-hexyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide ([Hmim]Br), 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF₄), 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium trifluoromesulfonate ([Bmim]TfO), 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium trifluoroacetate ([Bmim]TA), and 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium nitrate ([Bmim]NO₃), using a europium-based fluorescent probe, Na₃[Eu(DPA)₃] (DPA = 2, 6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid). This fluorescent probe showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity toward [Bmim]NO₃ in aqueous solution. Further studies showed that not only the fluorescence performance of the europium complex was enhanced in the other four ILs compared with that in water, but also the detecting capability for PNP was improved. The order of the quenching efficiency in different solvents was: [Bmim]BF₄ > [Bmim]TfO > [Hmim]Br > [Bmim]TA > water. The higher sensitivity for PNP in ILs was proven to be related to the efficient energy transfer of the europium complex and lower solvent polarity of the ILs. The quenching mechanism for the detection of PNP was established as being due to the ground state electrostatic interactions between the fluorescent probe and analyte, photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and inner filter effect (IFE).

The chemosensing of p-nitrophenol has been carried out in different solvents using a europium-based fluorescent probe and enhanced quenching efficiency was obtained in imidazolium ionic liquids compared to in water.

Copper-based MOF, Cu3(SDBA)2(HSDBA), as a catalyst for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride

Herein, we report the synthesis of the copper-based MOF, Cu3(SDBA)2(HSDBA), using a solvothermal method.

Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Upland Cress and Their Biochemical Characterization and Assessment

This research focuses on the plant-mediated green synthesis process to produce gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using upland cress (Barbarea verna), as various biomolecules within the upland cress act as both reducing and capping agents. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, surface charge (zeta potential) analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results indicated the synthesized Au NPs are spherical and well-dispersed with an average diameter ~11 nm and a characteristic absorbance peak at ~529 nm. EDX results showed an 11.13% gold content. Colloidal Au NP stability was confirmed with a zeta potential (ζ) value of -36.8 mV. X-ray diffraction analysis verified the production of crystalline face-centered cubic gold. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the Au NPs was evaluated using Gram-negative Escherichiacoli and Gram-positive Bacillus megaterium. Results demonstrated concentration-dependent antimicrobial properties. Lastly, applications of the Au NPs in catalysis and biomedicine were evaluated. The catalytic activity of Au NPs was demonstrated through the conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol which followed first-order kinetics. Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity were evaluated using both BMSCs (stem) and HeLa (cancer) cells and the results were cell type dependent. The synthesized Au NPs show great potential for various applications such as catalysis, pharmaceutics, and biomedicine.

Immobilization of Ag(0) nanoparticles on quaternary ammonium functionalized polyacrylonitrile fiber as a highly active catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Ag(0) nanoparticles were immobilized on various pyridine salt, imidazole salt and quaternary ammonium functionalized polyacrylonitrile fibers (PANFs) to prepare Ag(0)-immobilized fiber catalysts. The catalytic activities of these immobilized catalysts for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction were detected. Among them, the quaternary ammonium fiber with butyl group immobilized Ag(0) nanoparticle catalyst PAN_QA-C4F-Ag(0) showed the best catalytic activity, and can effectively catalyze 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction with a high conversation rate of 99.6%. Furthermore, PAN_QA-C4F-Ag(0) can be easily recovered, and it was reused 20 times with little decrease in catalytic activity and moderate Ag retention (53.5%). Notably, the cationic groups in the functionalized fibers can stabilize Ag(0) nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions and steric effects, and play an important role in phase transfer catalysis. Accordingly, possible mechanisms for the 4-NP reduction catalyzed by PAN_QA-C4F-Ag(0) were proposed.

Ag(0) nanoparticles were immobilized on various pyridine salt, imidazole salt and quaternary ammonium functionalized polyacrylonitrile fibers (PANFs) to prepare Ag(0)-immobilized fiber catalysts.

Modified cellulose nanofibril aerogel: Tunable catalyst support for treatment of 4-Nitrophenol from wastewater

4-Nitrophenol (4-NP) is a hazardous aromatic compound widely used for various industries. Catalytic reduction of 4-NP using metal nanoparticles (NPs) is a highly effective method to treat 4-NP from waste effluent. Even though lots of methods have investigated to prepare efficient metal NPs composites, the nano and/or micro size of composites makes it hard to recover after wastewater treatment, limiting its practical use. Here, we fabricate 3-dimensional polyethylene imine grafted cellulose nanofibril (CNF-PEI) aerogel as a porous support material for platinum (Pt) NPs to practically and effectively treat 4-NP from wastewater. The Pt NPs are formed in-situ mode on cylindrical CNF-PEI aerogel by adsorption reaction with amine groups of PEI and subsequently reduction with NaBH₄. Control of PEI grafting density and the initial concentration of Pt ions allows manipulation of the loading mass, size, and distribution of Pt NPs on 3D scaffold of CNF-PEI aerogel. The composite aerogel shows high catalytic activity for conversion of 4-NP. The 4-NP conversion activity is strongly affected by the size of Pt NPs and effective surface area of aerogels. The 2.74 nm size Pt NPs with even distribution in the aerogel show fast reaction kinetics (k = 0.12 min^-1). Finally, 4-NP reduction efficiency does not decrease during 5 times reuse cycle of Pt NPs loaded CNF-PEI aerogel. This CNF-PEI aerogel loaded with Pt NPs is recovered easily from wastewater after treatment, so it is reusable and offers high potential as a practical recyclable environmental catalyst.

Unsupported gold nanocones as sonocatalytic agents with enhanced catalytic properties

Gold catalysts have attracted attention for enabling sustainable chemical processes under ambient conditions. This reactivity is attributed to the small size of the catalysts (<5 nm); however, their size also creates difficulty when removing from product streams and often require rare-metal additives to enhance reaction rate kinetics, thereby limiting the environmental benefits of these catalysts. Comparatively, submicron gold catalysts are easier to separate but are much less reactive under ambient conditions. In this study, we synthesized submicron gas-stabilising gold nanocones (gs-AuNCs) that are acoustically responsive to afford greater reaction rates than other conventional gold catalysts. We explore the catalytic performance of acoustically responsive gs-AuNCs exposed to focussed ultrasound at 5.0 MPa peak negative pressure and 1.1 MHz center frequency. Cavitation nucleated from gs-AuNCs significantly increased the sonocatalytic degradation of water pollutants without the need for co-catalysts. The ability to amplify catalysis with ultrasound by tailoring the morphology of the catalyst to control cavitation opens new paths for future designs of sonocatalysts that may enable a sustainable chemical approach needed for a broad range of industrial processes.

Efficient Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol Using Copper(II) Complexes with N,O-Chelating Schiff Base Ligands

The reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by sodium borohydride was used as a model to test the catalytic activity of copper(II) complexes containing N,O-chelating Schiff base ligands. In this study, a series of copper(II) complexes containing respective Schiff base ligands, N'-salicylidene-2-aminophenol (1), N'-salicylidene-2-aminothiazole (2), and N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-o-phenylenediamine (3), were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV-Visible (UV-Vis) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. The results from the 4-nitrophenol reduction showed that 3 has the highest catalytic activities with 97.5% conversion, followed by 2 and 1 with 95.2% and 90.8% conversions, respectively. The optimization of the catalyst amount revealed that 1.0 mol% of the catalyst was the most optimized amount with the highest conversion compared to the other doses, 0.5 mol% and 1.5 mol%. Recyclability and reproducibility tests confirmed that all three complexes were active, efficient, and possess excellent reproducibility with consistent catalytic performances and could be used again without a major decrease in the catalytic activity.

Size-Dependent Catalytic Activity of PVA-Stabilized Palladium Nanoparticles in p-Nitrophenol Reduction: Using a Thermoresponsive Nanoreactor

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) of various average global diameters (2.1-7.1 nm) encapsulated with hydrophilic polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) have been synthesized and used as catalysts for sodium borohydride assisted reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. The synthesized catalysts exhibit excellent and typical size-dependent catalytic activity in the green protocol. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to characterize the prepared Pd NPs. The kinetics of this reaction was easily monitored by a UV-visible absorption spectrophotometer. The mechanism of the reaction is explained by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The catalytic performance increases with decreasing size of the synthesized nanoparticles. The apparent rate constants (k app × 103/s-1) of the catalytic reduction in the presence of Pd NPs of average diameters of 2.1, 3.35, 6.2, and 7.1 nm are determined as 8.57, 7.67, 6.16, and 5.04, respectively, at 298 K by using 2.91 mol % palladium nanocatalyst in each case. Moreover, the estimated activation energy of 22.2 kJ mol-1 obtained for Pd NPs with the smallest average diameter of 2.1 nm is very low as reported in the literature for the reduction. The influences of catalyst dose and concentration of p-nitrophenol on catalytic reduction are fully investigated. The catalyst with the largest diameter shows a temperature-sensitive property that might be due to the presence of a very low amount of rapped PVA used as stabilizer during the fabrication process. Thus, the synthetic protocol provides a unique fabrication process of a catalytically active thermoresponsive nanoreactor consisting of Pd NPs encapsulated into a PVA stabilizing agent.

Construction of a series of metal-directed MOFs to explore their physical and chemical properties

Here, we report a series of metal-directed coordination polymers and explore their various properties. The polymeric networks show interesting properties such as selective CO₂ gas adsorption, Fenton-type photocatalytic dye degradation and heterogeneous catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Ultrafast conversion of carcinogenic 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol in the dark catalyzed by surface interaction on BiPO4/g-C3N4 nanostructures in the presence of NaBH4

The heterogeneous catalytic conversion of pollutants into useful industrial compounds is a two-goals at once process, which is highly recommended from the environmental, economic, and industrial points of view.

Application of electroactive Au/aniline tetramer-graphene oxide composites as a highly efficient reusable catalyst

This study proposes a cost-effective, energy-saving, and green process that uses π-π interactions to modify graphene oxide (GO), and the conjugate structure of aniline tetramer (AT) to enhance the dispersion of GO. Au/aniline tetramer-graphene oxide (Au/ATGO) composites were synthesized and applied as a catalyst in this study. The adsorption of AT on GO, via π-π interaction, formed ATGO composites. Subsequently, the amine group on ATGO was stably anchored on Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) to form Au/ATGO composites. The Au/ATGO composites were characterized and the electroactive properties determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The Au/ATGO composites showed excellent performance and stability as catalysts when applied for the reduction of nitrophenol to aminophenol within 225 s and the rate constant was 0.02 s-1. The activation energy for the reduction of 4-NP and 2-NP was 48.10 and 68.71 kJ mol-1, respectively. Following a recycling test repeated 20 times, the Au/ATGO composites maintained a conversion rate higher than 94%.

Catalytic Degradability of p-Nitrophenol Using Ecofriendly Silver Nanoparticles

In an effort to produce non-toxic and economically viable “green” protocols for waste water treatment, researchers are actively involved to develop versatile and effective silver nanoparticles (SNPs) as nano-catalyst from bio-based techniques. Since, p-nitrophenol (PNP) is one of the anthropogenic contaminants, considerable attention has been focused in catalytic degradability of PNP in wastewater treatment by curtailing serious effect on aquatic fauna. Ingestion of contaminants by aquatic organisms will not only affect the aquatic species but is also a potential threat to human health, especially if the toxic contaminants are involved in food chain. In this short report, we provided a comprehensive insight on few remarkable nanocatalysts especially based on SNPs and its biopolymer composites synthesized via ecofriendly “green” route. The beneficiality and catalytic performance of these silver nanocatalysts are concisely documented on standard model degradation reduction of PNP to p-aminophenol (PAP) in the presence of aqueous sodium borohydride. The catalytic degradation of PNP to PAP using SNPs follows pseudo first order kinetics involving six-electrons with lower activation energy. Furthermore, we provided a list of highly effective, recoverable, and economically viable SNPs, which demonstrated its potential as nanocatalysts by focusing its technical impact in the area of water remediation.

Highly stable AgNPs prepared via a novel green approach for catalytic and photocatalytic removal of biological and non-biological pollutants

Increases in biological and non-biological pollutants pose a significant threat to environmental systems. In an effort to develop an effective means to treat such pollutants, the use of Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney beans) as reducing and capping agents is proposed for the green synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with a face-centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure (size range: 10-20 nm). The potent role of the resulting AgNPs was found as triple platforms (photocatalyst, catalyst, and antimicrobial disinfectant). AgNPs were able to photocatalytically degrade approximately 97% of reactive red-141 (RR-141) dye within 150 min of exposure (quantum efficiency of 3.68 × 10^-6 molecule.photon^-1 and a removal reaction kinetic rate of 1.13 × 10^-2 mmol g^-1 h^-1). The role of specific reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the photocatalytic process and complete mineralization of dye was also explored through scavenger and chemical oxygen demand (COD) experiments, respectively. As an catalyst, AgNPs were also capable of reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol within 15 min. Overall, AgNPs showed excellent stability as catalyst and photocatalyst even after five test cycles. As an antimicrobial agent, the AgNPs are effective against both gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and -negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), with the zones of clearance as 15 and 18 mm, respectively. Thus, the results of this study validate the triple role of AgNPs derived via green synthesis as a photocatalyst, catalyst, and antimicrobial agent for effective environmental remediation.

Cu/CuO Composite Track-Etched Membranes for Catalytic Decomposition of Nitrophenols and Removal of As(III)

One of the promising applications of nanomaterials is to use them as catalysts and sorbents to remove toxic pollutants such as nitroaromatic compounds and heavy metal ions for environmental protection. This work reports the synthesis of Cu/CuO-deposited composite track-etched membranes through low-temperature annealing and their application in catalysis and sorption. The synthesized Cu/CuO/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) composites presented efficient catalytic activity with high conversion yield in the reduction of nitro aryl compounds to their corresponding amino derivatives. It has been found that increasing the time of annealing raises the ratio of the copper(II) oxide (CuO) tenorite phase in the structure, which leads to a significant increase in the catalytic activity of the composites. The samples presented maximum catalytic activity after 5 h of annealing, where the ratio of CuO phase and the degree of crystallinity were 64.3% and 62.7%, respectively. The catalytic activity of pristine and annealed composites was tested in the reduction of 4-nitroaniline and was shown to remain practically unchanged for five consecutive test cycles. Composites annealed at 140 °C were also tested for their capacity to absorb arsenic(III) ions in cross-flow mode. It was observed that the sorption capacity of composite membranes increased by 48.7% compared to the pristine sample and reached its maximum after 10 h of annealing, then gradually decreased by 24% with further annealing.

Facile Sonochemical Preparation of Au-ZrO2 Nanocatalyst for the Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

High-intensity ultrasonic waves have great potential for the green synthesis of various nanomaterials under mild conditions and offer an excellent alternative for hazardous chemical methods. Herein a facile approach for the eco-friendly synthesis of Au-ZrO2 nanocatalyst with a high catalytic activity using a facile ultrasonic method is presented. Gold (Au) in the nanosize regime was successfully deposited on the surface of solvothermally synthesized monodispersed ZrO2 nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) in a very short period of time (5 min) at room temperature. Spherical shape small size Au nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed on the surface of ZrO2 nanoparticles were obtained. Notably, in the absence of ZrO2 nanoparticles, HAuCl4 could not be reduced, indicating that nano-sized ZrO2 not only acted as support but also helped to reduce the gold precursor at the surface. The as-prepared Au-ZrO2 nanocatalyst was characterized by various techniques. The Au-ZrO2 nanocatalyst served as a highly efficient reducing catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. The reaction time decreased with increasing the amount of catalyst.