Room temperature preparation of lignocellulosic biomass supported heterostructure (Cu plus Co@OPF) as highly efficient multifunctional nanocatalyst using wetness co-impregnation

Environmental remediation based on catalytic technologies has gained prominence as highly effective mean of removing toxic organic pollutants. Herein, mixed metal nanoparticles were decorated onto lignocellulose based support material, namely oil palm frond (OPF) biomass to fabricate a nanocatalyst (Cu + Co@OPF) via. facile chemical route. Various microscopic properties of as-prepared Cu + Co@OPF were examined using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDS and TGA. To check the universal applicability of as-prepared catalyst in wastewater decontamination, reduction of eight models pollutants was investigated such as dyes viz., Congo red (CR), Methyl orange (MO), Rhodamine B (RB), Methylene blue (MB) and different nitrophenols such as Ortho-nitrophenol (ONP), Meta-nitrophenol (MNP), Para-nitrophenol (PNP), 2, 4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Using Cu + Co@OPF heterostructure platform, complete reduction of organic pollutants was achieved in shorter time using NaBH4 as a hydrogen and electron source. The rate of catalytic reduction of pollutants followed order as; MO> RB> MB> CR and PNP> MNP> ONP> DNP in case of dyes and nitrophenols, respectively. The Cu + Co@OPF based heterostructure demonstrated multifunctional properties, for instance enhanced diffusion of pollutants, excellent catalytic activity as well as easy recovery. In addition to being renewable and eco-friendly, the porous and rough three-dimensional structure of biomass provided a large surface area for the formation of high-density of mixed metal NPs as possible catalytic sites, also allowing more contact between NPs and pollutant molecules in subsequent reduction reactions. The results reported herein present the potential of Cu + Co@OPF as highly efficient, cheaper, recoverable, universally applicable nanocatalyst and we advocate that its mass production would be highly useful in wastewater treatment.