Synthesis of Conducting Polymer Supported Pd Nanoparticles in Aqueous Medium and Catalytic Activity Towards 4-Nitrophenol Reduction

• Published in: Catalysis letters 2009-03, Vol.128 (1-2), p.197-202
• Main Authors: Harish, S, Mathiyarasu, J, Phani, K. L. N, Yegnaraman, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aminophenol; Aqueous solutions; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Colloidal state and disperse state; Conducting polymers; Crystallography; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission microscopy; Fourier transforms; General and physical chemistry; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Infrared spectroscopy; Microscopy; Morphology; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nitrophenol; Organic chemistry; Organometallic Chemistry; Palladium; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physical Chemistry; Reduction; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectrum analysis; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1011-372X; 1572-879X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10562-008-9732-x

We report here the synthesis of palladium (Pd) nanoparticles incorporated poly-(3,4)ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) matrix in aqueous medium and its catalytic performance towards 4-nitrophenol reduction. This simple one-pot synthesis involving a redox reaction between 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and palladium chloride (PdCl₂) precursor, leads to the formation of Pd nanoparticles supported on particulate PEDOT. Pd nanoparticles of size 1-9 nm were found to distribute uniformly over the PEDOT matrix. Morphology of the Pd-PEDOT nanocomposite was characterized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and the crystallographic details obtained using X-ray diffraction. The chemical nature of the PEDOT support matrix was analyzed using Fourier transform-infra red (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the composite was demonstrated using a model reaction, i.e., reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The value of the apparent rate constant, ca. 65.8 x 10⁻³ s⁻¹ obtained using UV visible spectroscopy of the reduction of 4-nitrophenol at the Pd-PEDOT nanocomposite is comparable to those reported for other catalytic systems.