Journal
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
Volume 182, Issue -, Pages 541-549Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2015.10.006
Keywords
Nanoscale zero-valent iron; NaBH4; p-Nitrophenol; Oxygen environment; Density functional theory
Funding
- Region Bretagne [8256]
- National Research Foundation of Korea [10Z20130011056] Funding Source: Korea Institute of Science & Technology Information (KISTI), National Science & Technology Information Service (NTIS)
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The reduction of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) to p-aminophenol (p-AP) by nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI)/NaBH4 system in an oxygen environment was studied by means of liquid chromatography, spectroscopy (vibration and X-ray photoelectron), solid analyses (transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Addition of NaBH4 into NZVI suspension showed the disintegration of NZVI (60-100 nm), resulting in the formation of much smaller particles (15-40 nm) due to the chemical etching of outermost surfaces (i.e., magnetite). Interestingly, complete reduction of p-NP and high conversion efficiency of p-AP (>98%) were observed in NZVI/NaBH4 system even after four recycling which is quite comparable with widely used noble metallic catalysts. Surface analysis confirmed that NaBH4 can prevent the oxidation of NZVI surface, leading to the continuous reduction of p-NP in oxygen environments. Experimental results and DFT calculations suggested that not only the formation of smaller NZVI but also thermodynamic preferences for reduction of p-NP on outermost surfaces of NZVI (i.e., magnetite) may significantly affect the reduction process of p-NP in NZVI/NaBH4 system. These novel findings can promote the development of new NZVI technologies which can be used for wastewater reductive treatment in oxygen environments. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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