A simple approach for the sonochemical synthesis of Fe3O4-guargum nanocomposite and its catalytic reduction of p-nitroaniline

Jayachandrabal Balachandramohan; Sambandam Anandan; Thirugnanasambandam Sivasankar

doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.06.012

A simple approach for the sonochemical synthesis of Fe₃O₄-guargum nanocomposite and its catalytic reduction of p-nitroaniline

Ultrason Sonochem. 2018 Jan;40(Pt A):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.06.012. Epub 2017 Jun 17.

Authors

Jayachandrabal Balachandramohan¹, Sambandam Anandan², Thirugnanasambandam Sivasankar³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620015, Tamilnadu, India.
² Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620015, Tamilnadu, India.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620015, Tamilnadu, India. Electronic address: sivasankar9@gmail.com.

PMID: 28946395
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.06.012

Abstract

In this present study, a facile and green method to synthesize highly stable Fe₃O₄-guar gum nanocomposite using ultrasound was reported. Thermal gravimetric analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the crystal structure, size and morphology, elemental composition, metal-metal and metal-oxygen bonds of the synthesized nanocomposites. Fe₃O₄-guar gum nanocomposite with a size of ∼48nm was obtained as from TEM. The physicochemical characterization supports the feasibility of guar gum as an efficient stabilizing agent for the formation of nanocomposite; guar gum acts as a capping agent with a zeta potential value of -34.8 which was found to be beneficial for achieving lower particle size. Guar gum serves as a matrix for both reduction and stabilization of nanocomposite. The HR-TEM and XPS shows that Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles are encapsulated by the guar gum polymeric networks or Fe₃O₄-guar gum core-shell structure. The guar gum encapsulated magnetite nanocomposite has performed better in terms of catalytic activity for the liquid phase reduction of p-nitroaniline. The simple catalytic reduction of p-nitroaniline showed an efficiency of 47% and further exceptional improvement of up to 98% reduction within 60min with the addition of sodium borohydride was achieved. The sonochemical synthesis of Fe₃O₄-guar gum nanocomposite does not require stringent experimental conditions or any toxic agents, and thus, a straightforward, rapid, efficient and green method for the fabrication of highly active catalysts for treating environmental pollutants.

Keywords: Catalytic reduction; Fe(3)O(4)-guar gum nanocomposite; Magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)); Sonochemical synthesis; p-Nitroaniline.