Catalysis of the hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol and the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by Pd/Fe3O4@C

Palladium nanoparticles (NPs) were applied for the hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols in contaminated water using H-2 as a clean and sustainable reductant. In this study, a high-efficiency Pd-based catalyst (Pd/Fe3O4@C) was facilely synthesized and applied for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol in an aqueous solution. Compared with most Pd-based catalysts, the Pd/Fe3O4@C nanocatalyst exhibits a higher catalytic performance. The well-dispersed Pd NPs were modified on the spherical carbon surface through coordination chemical bond. The superparamagnetic character of the Fe3O4 core enabled the Pd/Fe3O4@C nanocatalyst to be very easily separated and recovered from the reaction mixture. Thus, the nanocatalyst can be repeatedly used without significant weight loss. The high catalytic activity of the Pd/Fe3O4@C nanocatalyst indicates that noble metal nanoparticles supported on magnetic carbon sphere materials could act as promising catalysts and have potential applications in numerous Pd-based catalytic reactions.