Reduction of p-nitrophenol by copper nanoparticles modified porous boron nitride

Abstract

In order to search for catalysts with high catalytic activity, environmental friendliness, low price, and good stability, and to investigate the synergistic catalytic effect between metals and supports, porous h-BN carriers with a large specific surface area, meanwhile rich in hydroxyl and amino groups on the surface, were prepared by the calcined precursor method. Cu/BN nanocomposites with uniform particle size distribution were successfully prepared by a simple liquid phase reduction method. The composition, microstructure and properties of the composites were characterized. The results show that the introduction of Cu NPs does not destroy the two-dimensional sheets structure of porous h-BN, but the specific surface area and pore size decrease to varying degrees. Through investigating the catalytic performance of Cu/h-BN composite materials by using the reduction of p-nitrophenol (4-NP) to p-aminophenol (4-AP) as a model reaction, it shows that when the Cu NPs content is 6% (mass fraction), the Cu/h-BN composite material exhibits the best catalytic activity (the reaction rate constant k= 4.62×10-2 s-1) and stability, and the catalytic activity remains unchanged in five cycles. Therefore, the h-BN carrier with a high specific surface area can stabilize Cu nanoparticles, and the synergistic catalytic effect between them enables Cu/h-BN to have excellent catalytic activity and stability. The study provides a theoretical basis for further research on the synergistic catalysis of metals and h-BN in the future.

Keywords

• polymercomposites; cu/h-bn composites; porous boron nitride; copper nanoparticles; catalytic reduction; p-nitrophenol