Immobilization of iridium nanoparticles on ITO substrate for selective transformation of glycerol to 1, 3-dihydroxyacetone and process tracking

Abstract

Glycerol (Gly) is a major by-product of biodiesel production, its conversion to high-value-added chemicals under mild conditions holds significant economic benefits. This study demonstrated that the efficient and selective conversion of Gly to 1, 3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA) can be achieved with a yield of 87% by using immobilized iridium nanoparticles (IrNPs) as the nanozyme catalyst. The IrNPs-ITO plate was prepared by electrodeposition of Ir 3+ on ITO. As-prepared IrNPs-ITO have exhibited excellent peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity, showing a K m for H 2 O 2 as low as 0.45 mM and a V max of 1.02 × 10 -4 mM•s -1 . The IrNPs-ITO also exhibited remarkable durability, retaining about 90% of its original activity after 15 successive cycles. Furthermore, an in-situ monitoring method was developed to track the Gly oxidation process based on the impedance changes caused by the specific adsorption of Gly on the IrNPs-ITO electrode. Hence the immobilization of IrNPs not only effectively suppresses their aggregation and facilitates recovery and reuse of the nanozyme, but also providing a methodological foundation for real-time monitoring of the reaction processes.