Reduced Graphene Oxide/Gold Nanoparticleaerogel for Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Reduced Graphene Oxide/Gold NanoparticleAerogel for Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Xinjiang Cao, Zhongdang Xiao*

State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics(Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, SiPaiLou 2#, Nanjing 210096,P.R.China

Abstract:Currently, it is of great significance and a challenge todevelop facile synthetic routes to obtain a novel plasmonicheterogeneouscatalyst with high activity and long lifetime for the reduction of arefractory organic compound like 4-nitrophenol (4-NP).To this end, a three-dimensional (3D)porousframework namedreduced graphene oxide/gold nanoparticle aerogel (rGO/Au NPA) wasconstructed byindividual GO sheets and HAuCl4 under the reduction of trisodium citrate dihydrate (Na3Cit) via a one-step hydrothermal method. The abundant Au NPs having a diameter of 7–160 nmcan be easilyin situ incorporated into graphene sheetsto form a 3D hierarchical monolith by the reduction of Na3Cit, which was well-disclosed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) andtransmission electron microscopy (TEM).Such 3DrGO/Au NPA with interconnectedporous structure displays a good thermal stability and large Brunauer−Emmett−Teller specificsurface areaof 37.8325 m2 g-1.More importantly, the fabricated rGO/Au NPA can act as a heterogeneous catalyst, exhibiting an outstanding catalytic activity and good reusability towards the reduction of 4-NP due tothe synergeticeffectbetween Au NPs and graphene sheets. Additionally, the mechanism ofenhanced catalytic efficiency for the 3D rGO/Au NPAcatalysthas also been proposed.

Keywords:rGO/Au NPA; Synergeticeffect; Catalyst; 4-Nitrophenol

Name：XinjiangCao

Organization：School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University

Address：Si Pai Lou 2#, Nanjing, P. R. China

E-mail：

Tel：18795896839

Fig. 1.(a)Schematic flowchart for preparation of 3D rGO/Au NPA via hydrothermal, freeze drying and annealing treatment. (b) Plot of Ct/C0versus time for the reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP with different catalysts. (c)Conversion efficiency of 4-NP in five repeated reaction cycles. (d) Illustration of the proposed mechanism for the reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP by 3D rGO/Au NPA in the presence of NaBH4.

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