Biochar-Embedded Soft Hydrogel and Their Use in Ag Nanoparticle Preparation and Reduction of 4-Nitro Phenol

Abstract

The authors report the synthesis of a composite hydrogel based on acrylamide-chicken biochar—(AAm)-CB—and its use as a template in the preparation of silver metal nanoparticles. Moreover, we demonstrate the efficient utilization of p(AAm)-CB composite hydrogel as a reactor vessel in the reduction of an organic contaminant 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). Experimental parameters affecting 4-NP reduction rate were investigated. The kinetics of the reduction reaction under different reaction conditions were also evaluated to determine the activation parameters. Activation energy for the reduction of 4-NP was 15.25 kJ mol⁻¹ and p(AAm)-CB-Ag composites possessed 99.45% activity after five repetitive uses.

Keywords:

• Flexible nanonetwork
• hydrogel reactor
• hydrogel-biochar composite
• in situ metal nanocatalyst preparation
• 4-nitrophenol reduction

Acknowledgment

N. Sahiner is grateful to the Turkish Academy of Science for financial support under the 2008 TUBA-GEBIP program.