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Facile synthesis of PS/RGO@AuNP composite particles as highly active and reusable catalyst for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol

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Abstract

Herein, we successfully fabricate a ternary composite particle of polystyrene/reduced graphene oxide@gold nanoparticle (PS/RGO@AuNP) by hydrophobic interaction-driven self-assembly combined with a one-step reduction process, without involving any surface pretreatments of support microspheres in the whole process. The as-prepared PS/RGO@AuNP composite particles have been extensively characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that these ternary raspberry-like composite particles have uniform size and controllable surface morphology. In addition, the PS/RGO@AuNP composite particles have good dispersibility in water and, moreover, exhibit high catalytic activity and excellent reusability during the reduction of p-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride in aqueous solution.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 21204030, no. 51302109), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (BK20130144), and MOE&SAFEA for the 111 Project (B13025) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Zhengfeng Wu, Likui Wang, Yuhua Hu & Yunxing Li

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  1. Zhengfeng Wu
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Wu, Z., Wang, L., Hu, Y. et al. Facile synthesis of PS/RGO@AuNP composite particles as highly active and reusable catalyst for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol. Colloid Polym Sci 294, 1165–1172 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-016-3875-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-016-3875-x

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