Ag(I)-triggered one-pot synthesis of Ag nanoparticles onto natural nanorods as a multifunctional nanocomposite for efficient catalysis and adsorption

Abstract

A multifunctional palygorskite/polyaniline/Ag nanoparticles (PAL/PANI/AgNPs) nanocomposite was prepared at room temperature using a simple one-pot in-situ polymerization reaction of aniline monomers triggered by Ag(I) on the surface of natural PAL nanorods. Ag(I) served as both the oxidant and the precursor of the AgNPs, which initiated the polymerization of aniline monomers on PAL nanorods while simultaneously being reduced to form Ag(0) nanoparticles (AgNPs). The in-situ formed AgNPs were evenly distributed on the surface of the PAL nanorods because the interfacial effect of PAL prevents their aggregation. The density and size of the AgNPs and the catalytic activity of the nanocomposites could be controlled by altering the molar ratio of aniline to Ag(I). The performance evaluation revealed that the nanocomposites could be used as highly active catalysts, which rapidly catalyzed the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) within 2min and Congo red (CR) within 10min. The nanocomposites are also an effective adsorbent for H2PO4(-) able to remove 99.40% of H2PO4(-) (only 61.77% for raw PAL) from a solution with an initial concentration of 50mg/L. This multifunctional nanocomposite synthesized by a simple one-pot approach is a promising material for environmental applications.

Keywords: Adsorption; Ag nanoparticles; Catalysis; Nanocomposite; Palygorskite.