Agar hydrogel supported metal nanoparticles catalyst for pollutants degradation in water

In this study, agar hydrogel (AG) was prepared and used as support for the copper and cobalt nanoparticles inside it. AG hydrogels at three different concentrations of 0.4, 1 and 2 wt/wt% were prepared by cooling down their aqueous solutions to room temperature. All these hydrogels were separately introduced into the 0.5 M copper sulphate or cobalt chloride aqueous solutions to uptake the respective metal ions. The ions loaded hydrogels were treated with concentrated NaBH 4 aqueous solution to prepare the copper or cobalt nanoparticles loaded AG hydrogels (Cu-AG or Co-AG). Pure AG as well as M2+-AG hydrogels were characterized using various instrumental techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Finally, the M2+-AG hydrogels were utilized as catalysts in methylene blue dye reduction reaction using NaBH4 as reducing agent.