Catalytic Reductive Degradation of Methyl Orange Using Air Resilient Copper Nanostructures

Abstract

The study describes the application of oxidation resistant copper nanostructures as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the treatment of organic dye containing waste waters. Copper nanostructures were synthesized in an aqueous environment using modified surfactant assisted chemical reduction route. The synthesized nanostructures have been characterized by UV-Vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). These surfactant capped Cu nanostructures have been used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the comparative reductive degradation of methyl orange (MO) in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) used as a potential reductant. Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were found to be more efficient compared to copper nanorods (Cu NRds) with the degradation reaction obeying pseudofirst order reaction kinetics. Shape dependent catalytic efficiency was further evaluated from activation energy (EA) of reductive degradation reaction. The more efficient Cu NPs were further employed for reductive degradation of real waste water samples containing dyes collected from the drain of different local textile industries situated in Hyderabad region, Pakistan.

Rapid synthesis of ultrasmall platinum nanoparticles supported on macroporous cellulose fibers for catalysis

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Fabrication and characterization of amidoxime-functionalized silica decorated with copper: a catalytic assembly for rapid reduction of dyes

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Catalytic and antibacterial activity of copper nanoparticle-starch composite

“…Oxidative degradation includes the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants by nanoparticle of TiO 2 , ZnO using "advanced oxidation process" [4][5][6]. Reductive degradation of the pollutants can be achieved by using metal nanoparticle as catalyst in combination with a common reducing agent like NaBH 4 [7]. Recently, Sarkar et al has applied adsorption as well as photodegradation using TiO 2 -Au nanocomposite for efficient removal of toxic dyes [8].…”

“…Recently, Sarkar et al has applied adsorption as well as photodegradation using TiO 2 -Au nanocomposite for efficient removal of toxic dyes [8]. The success of the degradation of the pollutants using metal nanocrystals like Au, Ag, or Au-Ag, Cu etc has been demonstrated in large number of studies [7][8][9][10][11]. Studies also reveal that the catalytic efficiency may vary as the function of nature, size, shape, matrix of the nanocrystals [4,12].…”