Ultra-layered sheet Cu-Co nanoparticles for optimized application in catalytic reduction of organic dye

Abstract

In the present study, hydrothermal method (120 degrees C temperature, 24 h) for synthesis of ultra-layered sheet Cu-Co nanoparticles with various compositions (Cu/(Cu + Co) = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9) to degrade methyl orange (MO, C14H14N3SO3) organic dye via a catalytic sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reduction is carried out. The Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology (BBD-RSM) is employed for assessment and optimization of process conditions as catalyst composition (X-1: 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 molar ratio), catalyst amount (X-2: 0.0006, 0.0008, 0.0010 g) and reductant amount (X-3: 0.003, 0.004, 0.005 g NaBH4). The interior and exterior features of all the nanoparticles are investigated by several physico-chemical techniques (HR-TEM/SAED, XPS, ICP-OES, XRD, N-2 sorption, SEM, Zeta-sizer) that revealed oxide structure of mesoporous ultra-layered sheet nanoparticles. Meanwhile possible reduction products of MO are proposed based on LCMS-QTOF and UV-vis analysis results. The maximum reduction efficiency (97%) is achieved at the following conditions: MO (100 mg/L), in strong acidic (pH: 2.75) environment, Cu0.22Co0.28 catalyst (0.001 g), in presence of NaBH4 (0.0040 g) within < 1 min. We are purposed that benefiting from excellent properties of ultra-layered sheet Cu-Co nanoparticles can be applied in strong acidic wastewater in industrial applications.