Radiation engineered copper nanoparticles immobilised catalytic reactor (Cu-NICaR) system

¹Radiation Technology Development Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India

²Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India

³Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2018, 9 (10), pp 684-691

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2018.2123

Publication Date (Web): Jul 18, 2018

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: vkrawat75@gmail.com

Abstract

A robust and reusable Copper Nanoparticles Immobilised Catalytic Reactor (Cu-NICaR) system was fabricated by immobilising Copper Nanoparticles (Cu NPs) onto a radiation functionalized polymer support. Gamma radiation induced simultaneous irradiation grafting process was employed for introducing poly-glycidyl methacrylate (poly(GMA)) chains onto non woven PE-PP matrix. Optimization of the grafting process was carried out by studying the effect of experimental parameters, such as absorbed dose, monomer concentration and solvent polarity on grafting yield. The poly(GMA)-g-PE-PP matrix was used as a functional polymer support for Cu NPs, synthesised under optimized conditions using NaBH₄ as reducing agent. Characterization of the samples was carried out by UV-Visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Catalytic activity of Cu NPs immobilised poly(GMA)-g-PE-PP catalytic system was studied  by spectrophotometrically monitoring the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (PNP), using NaBH₄ as reducing agent. The Cu NPs-immobilised-poly(GMA)-g-PE-PP was observed to exhibit excellent catalytic activity both in batch process (12 cycles over a period of 30 days) as well as in fixed bed column reactor mode, without significant loss of activity. 

Keywords

Radiation grafting, copper nanoparticles, Cu-NICaR, catalyst, p-nitrophenol.