Application of Nb2O5 nanowire supported Pd nanoparticles in reduction of nitro-aromatic compounds as efficient and stable catalysts

Abstract

A facile soft chemistry route was described to prepare a composite material of Nb₂O₅ nanowires modified with Pd nanoparticles having an average diameter of 7.9 nm. The Pd/w-Nb₂O₅ catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. In comparison with Pd/s-Nb₂O₅ and Pd/Al₂O₃, the Pd/w-Nb₂O₅ had a more substantial catalysis effect on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) under ambient conditions. The results showed that the conversion rate of 4-NP (20 mg L⁻¹, 100 mL) was about 98.3% after 4 min using 10 mg of the catalyst, Moreover, after the catalyst had been reused 10 times, the conversion rate still remained 85.3%. The significant enhancement in the catalysis activity can be ascribed to acidity and morphology of the catalyst support Nb₂O₅.