Fabrication of magnetically recyclable Ag/Cu@Fe3O4 nanoparticles with excellent catalytic activity for p-nitrophenol reduction

A facile and efficient approach was developed to synthesize Ag/Cu@ Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles using L-lysine as a linker. The morphology, composition and crystal structure of the prepared Ag/Cu@ Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were determined with a vibrating sample magnetometer. The catalytic activity of the Ag/Cu@ Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol was also studied. The Ag/Cu@ Fe3O4 hybrid nanoparticles are efficient catalysts and can easily be recovered from the reaction system because of their magnetic properties. In addition the Ag/Cu@ Fe3O4 catalyst had good reusability. This cost effective and recyclable catalyst provides a new material for use in environmental protection applications.