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Preparation, characterization and catalytic activity of biomaterial-supported copper nanoparticles

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Abstract

Synthesis of copper nanoparticles was carried out with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as a support by reducing CuSO4·5H2O ions using hydrazine. Ascorbic acid and aqueous NaOH were also used as an antioxidant and pH controller, respectively. The synthesized copper nanoparticles supported on NCC (CuNPs@NCC) were characterized by UV–vis, XRD, TEM, XRF, TGA, DSC, N2 adsorption-desorption method at 77 K and FTIR. The UV–vis confirmed the formation and stability of the CuNPs, which indicated that the maximum absorbance of CuNPs@NCC was at 590 nm due to the surface plasmon absorption of CuNPs. Morphological characterization clearly showed the formation of a spherical structure of the CuNPs with the mean diameter and standard deviation of 2.71 ± 1.12 nm. Similarly, XRD showed that the synthesized CuNPs@NCC was of high purity. The thermal analysis showed that the CuNPs@NCC exhibited better thermal behaviors than NCC. BET surface area revealed that the N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms of CuNPs@NCC featured a type IV isotherm with an H3 hysterisis loop. This chemical method is simple, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Compared to NCC-supported CuNPs and unsupported CuNPs, the as-prepared CuNPs@NCC exhibit a superior catalytic activity and high sustainability for the reduction of methylene blue with NaBH4 in aqueous solution at room temperature. The CuNPs@NCC achieved complete reduction of MB with completion time, rate constant and correlation coefficient (R 2) of 12 min, 0.7421 min−1 and 0.9922, respectively.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the staff of the Department of Chemistry UPM, Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA) for their help in this research, and the Institute of Bioscience (IBS/UPM) for technical assistance.

Authors contributions

AM carried out the experimental work. MBA, MZH, SMI and HAS, conceived of the study and coordinated the project. AM and MBA drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Aminu Musa, Mansor B. Ahmad, Mohd Izham Saiman & Hannatu Abubakar Sani

  2. Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Zobir Hussein

  3. Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, Dutsin-ma Road, P.M.B 2218, Katsina, 820001, Nigeria

    Aminu Musa

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Correspondence to Aminu Musa or Mansor B. Ahmad.

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Musa, A., Ahmad, M.B., Hussein, M.Z. et al. Preparation, characterization and catalytic activity of biomaterial-supported copper nanoparticles. Res Chem Intermed 43, 801–815 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-016-2665-x

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