Catalytic degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution by H2O2 and SiO2-NH2-Cu(II)@SiO2 nanoparticles as catalyst

Novel core-shell nanosphere was designed as a catalyst via a surface-protected etching technique and is described as SiO2-NH2-Cu(II)@SiO2 nanoreactors (NSC@S). In this study, extraction and synthesis of silica nanoparticles were successfully derived from Egyptian natural quartz sand via alkali melting reaction and acid precipitation processes followed by calcination at 400 degrees C. The partial etching process allows thick silica coatings to be directly transformed into porous shells to facilitate catalytic reaction via encapsulated copper ions. The shells, on the other hand, serve as physical barriers to prevent the catalyst particles The particle size was lower than that of the natural quartz sand. The catalytic activity of the as-synthesized (NSC@S) nanocomposite was investigated via its utilization as a catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue with H2O2. The NSC@S exhibited good catalytic performance so that it can be a promising catalyst for the removal of various pollutants. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A novel core-shell nanosphere designed as a catalyst was successfully synthesized via a surface-protected etching technique, showing promising catalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue. The partially etched nanosphere exhibited good catalytic performance and has potential applications in pollutant removal.