Green synthesis of the Cu/sodium borosilicate nanocomposite and investigation of its catalytic activity

In this work, we reported preparation of the copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) supported on sodium borosilicate glass by using Acalypha indica L. leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The catalyst was characterized using SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, BET, elemental mapping and FT-IR spectroscopy. In addition, the catalytic activity of the Cu/sodium borosilicate nanocomposite was investigated for the reduction of the 2,4-dinitrophenilhydrazine (2,4-DNPH), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB) and congo red (CR) by using NaBH4 in aqueous medium. Moreover, the reusability of the catalyst was studied for the reduction reactions. The catalyst can be recovered and recycled several times without significant loss of activity. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.