Co0.85Se bundle-like nanostructure catalysts for hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol

Abstract

This study demonstrated the preparation of Co_0.85Se bundle-like nanostructures (BNs) by a template-directed approach under solvothermal conditions. The Co_0.85Se BNs were utilized as catalysts in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH₄. The kinetics of the reduction of 4-nitrophenol at three different reaction temperatures were investigated to evaluate the catalytic activity of the Co_0.85Se BNs. The activation energy (E_a), activation enthalpy (ΔH^‡), and activation entropy (ΔS^‡) of the Co_0.85Se BNs and Co_0.85Se nanoparticles (NPs) are 14.66 kJ mol⁻¹, 12.15 kJ mol⁻¹, 42.51 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, and 17.78 kJ mol⁻¹, 16.55 kJ mol⁻¹, 50.66 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The above results revealed that the Co_0.85Se BNs exhibited a higher catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol by NaBH₄ than that of the Co_0.85Se NPs at room temperature. It is believed that the prepared Co_0.85Se BNs have potential applications in catalysis.