Metal/N-Doped Carbon (Metal = Ag, Cu, Ni) Nanocatalysts For Selective Hydrogenation Of 4-Nitrophenol

This work reports on the use of an acrylamide mediated polymerized complexing method for the preparation of metal/N-doped carbon (metal = Ag, Cu, Ni) nanocatalysts and their excellent catalytic behavior toward hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol. Acrylamide can be used as a single source of carbon and nitrogen. High catalytic activity parameter, K-m (first order reaction) of 471.6, 327.2 and 72.4 s(-1).g(-1) (per mass of metal) was estimated for Ag/N-doped carbon (Ag/NC), Cu/NC and Ni/NC nanocatalysts, for the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (molar ratio of NaBH4:4-nitrophenol = 100:1). These activity results provided new insight into the design and catalytic applications of metal/NC nanomaterials.