Cellulose/silver nanoparticles composite microspheres: eco-friendly synthesis and catalytic application

Abstract

Cellulose/silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) composites were prepared and their catalytic performance was evaluated. Porous cellulose microspheres, fabricated from NaOH/thiourea aqueous solution by a sol-gel transition processing, were served as supports for Ag NPs synthesis by an eco-friendly hydrothermal method. The regenerated cellulose microspheres were designed as reducing reagent for hydrothermal reduction and also micro-reactors for controlling growth of Ag NPs. The structure and properties of obtained composite microspheres were characterized by Optical microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, WXRD, SEM, TEM and TG. The results indicated that Ag NPs were integrated successfully and dispersed uniformly in the cellulose matrix. Their size (8.3-18.6 nm), size distribution (3.4-7.7 nm), and content (1.1-4.9 wt%) were tunable by tailoring of the initial concentration of AgNO 3 . Moreover, the shape, integrity and thermal stability were firmly preserved for the obtained composite microspheres. The catalytic performance of the as-prepared cellulose/Ag composite microspheres was examined through a model reaction of 4-nitrophenol reduction in the presence of NaBH 4 . The composites microspheres exhibited good catalytic activity, which is much high than that of hydrogel/Ag NPs composites and comparable with polymer coreshell particles loading Ag NPs.

The preparation of alginate–AgNPs composite fiber with green approach and its antibacterial activity

“…6B, with the increase of Ag content. The accelerated decomposition of calcium carbonate can be explained by the catalytic effect of AgNPs [27].…”

Microwave solvothermal decoration of the cellulose surface by nanostructured hybrid Ag/ZnO particles: a joint XPS, XRD and SEM study

“…Various methods of their preparation have been proposed, and the products have been implemented in praxis, such as films, fabrics, powders, fillers, paper and nonwovens, to name a few, but new functionalities are still required and being intensively examined (Abdul Khalil et al 2014). Among them, the hybrid combination of cellulose with inorganic nanoparticles attached to its surface has recently become attractive (Song and Rojas 2013;Wu et al 2012). …”

Construction of Fluorescent Cellulose Biobased Plastics and their Potential Application in Anti-Counterfeiting Banknotes

“…[32][33][34] The fl uorescent dye molecules of RhB and fl uorescein can be accommodated in the open micronanoporous structure of cellulose hydrogels, being tightly fi xed on the cellulose backbone. According to our fi ndings, the hydrogen bonding interaction between cellulose and RhB or fl uorescein could occur because of the amount of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the cellulose matrix and the amino and hydroxyl groups of RhB and fl uorescein.…”