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Magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst based on N-heterocyclic ligands: efficient treatment of environmental pollutants in aqueous media

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Abstract

The fabrication of aminotetrazole–palladium(II) complex immobilized on silica-encapsulated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles is described with full characterization using XRD, TGA–DTG, EDS, TEM, FESEM, VSM and FTIR spectroscopy. This prepared core–shell entity has been explored as a highly efficient reusable nanocatalyst with superior stability and high catalytic activity in the reduction of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], nitroarenes and azo dyes compared to other reported Pd-based nanocatalysts. The catalytic activity of the catalyst for the reduction of Cr(VI), 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, 4-nitrophenol, methyl orange, Congo red, nigrosin and rhodamine B with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) aqueous solution or formic acid is evaluated by UV–Vis spectroscopy. The present study illustrates an unprecedented example of arylaminotetrazole grafted on magnetic nanoparticles as an excellent magnetically recoverable catalyst which can be recycled seven times without any meaningful changes in the reaction time.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the University of Qom for the support of this work. RSV gratefully acknowledges the support by the Operational Program Research, Development and Education—European Regional Development Fund, Project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000754 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, PO Box 37185-359, Qom, Iran

    Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh & Mohaddeseh Sajjadi

  2. Department of Physical Chemistry, Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic

    Rajender S. Varma

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  1. Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh
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  3. Rajender S. Varma
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Correspondence to Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh or Rajender S. Varma.

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Nasrollahzadeh, M., Sajjadi, M. & Varma, R.S. Magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst based on N-heterocyclic ligands: efficient treatment of environmental pollutants in aqueous media. Clean Techn Environ Policy 22, 423–440 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-019-01794-x

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