Pd on magnetic hybrid of halloysite and POSS-containing copolymer: An efficient catalyst for dye reduction

A novel catalytic nanocomposite, MNPs/Hal-POSS-HEMA-Pd, composed of halloysite nanoclay and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane is reported. To synthesize the catalyst, magnetic halloysite was vinyl functionalized and then polymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methacrylate polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. Afterwards, the latter was palladated to furnish a heterogeneous catalyst with use for catalyzing the reductive degradation of organic dyes, Rhodamine B, and methyl orange with NaBH₄. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of both reactions were estimated. The results asserted that low content of the catalyst could catalyze the dye reduction reactions to furnish hydrogenated product in quantitative conversion in a very short reaction times (1 min). It is assumed that both halloysite and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane can contribute to the anchoring of Pd nanoparticles. On the other hand, the polymeric network around halloysite can furnish a microenvironment for bringing dyes in the vicinity of active sites. Moreover, unique tubular morphology of halloysite can effectively improve dye adsorption and consequently enhance dye reduction. Additionally, the study of the recyclability of the catalyst approved that it could be magnetically recovered and reused for ten successive reaction runs with trivial leach of Pd (2 wt.%) and decrement of the catalytic activity.