posted on 2021-05-25, 20:14authored byYuen Yee Li Sip, David W. Fox, Lorianne R. Shultz, Marie Davy, Hee-Suk Chung, Dennis-Xavier Antony, Yeonwoong Jung, Titel Jurca, Lei Zhai
Nanoalloys
or alloy nanoparticles containing multiple metals are
of great interest because the combination of multiple metals in close
proximity can grant enhanced properties including stability, activity,
and selectivity arising from synergism that cannot be accessed by
the combination of individual metals. In this study, we have produced
nanoalloys in stable flexible electrospun hydrogel nanofibers composed
of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride). The hydrogel
fibers were loaded with metal ions such as copper and silver through
an immersion in metal salt solutions followed by a chemical reduction
to form the metal nanoparticles. The hydrogel matrix allowed for the
absorption of metal ions into the fibers and provided a viscous environment
to promote the formation of alloy particles in the small diameter
range (<25 nm). The proposed fabrication process is advantageous
in terms of simplicity, controllability, and versatility. The reductions
of 4-nitrophenol and methylene blue were performed to test and compare
the catalytic activity of monometallic nanoparticles and copper–silver
bimetallic nanoparticles. The copper–silver bimetallic nanoparticles
demonstrated preferred selectivity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol
and higher catalytic activity for the reduction of methylene blue.
Overall, we have developed promising stable flexible nanocomposites
for catalytic reduction of organic redox compounds, and other catalytic
nanoalloy systems could be further studied by modification of the
procedure.