Urchin-like Cobalt Nanostructures For Catalytic Degradation Of Nitro Anilines

¹Department of Pharmacy, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana 77170, Sindh, Pakistan

²Dr. M. A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan

³Advanced Technology Research and Application Center, Selcuk University, Konya 42075, Turkey

⁴National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan

⁵Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Selcuk University, Konya 42075, Turkey

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2016, 7 (9), pp 748-753

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2016.6264

Publication Date (Web): Jul 09, 2016

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: arkhaskheli@gmail.com

Abstract

The undertaken study describes synthesis of urchin-like Cobalt nanostructures (Co NSs) in aqueous solution using gallic acid as both reductant and protecting agent for the catalytic degradation of 4-methyle-2-nitroaniline. UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy was used as a primary tool to elaborately study and optimizes the necessary experimental condition for the developed synthetic protocol Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the interaction between gallic acid and the surface of Co NSs via -OH linkages although Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of urchin shaped nanostructures with diameter in the range of 80-110 nm and length of tentacles between 1.0 – 1.8 µm. The as-synthesized Co NSs proved to be excellent heterogeneous catalyst for the 100 % reductive degradation of 4-methyle-2-nitroaniline in just 60 sec in presence of reductant (NaBH₄) with reaction rate calculated to follow pseudo first order kinetic and rate constant of 0.055s^-1. Furthermore, Co NSs, showed excellent recyclability and were reused four times for the degradation of 4-methyle-2-nitroaniline with efficiency that displayed negligible catalytic poisoning.

Keywords

Co nanostructures, urchin morphology, 4-methyle-2-nitroaniline, catalyst.