Synthesis of a highly active amino‐functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2/APTS/Ru magnetic nanocomposite catalyst for hydrogenation reactions

An amino‐functionalized silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS) was synthesized. The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ microspheres possessed a well‐defined core–shell structure, uniform sizes and high magnetization. An immobilized ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS/Ru) was obtained after coordination and reduction of Ru³⁺ on the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS nanocomposite. The Ru nanoparticles were not only ultra‐small with nearly monodisperse sizes but also had strong affinity with the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS. The obtained catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of a variety of aromatic nitro compounds, even at room temperature. Moreover, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/APTS/Ru was easily recovered using a magnetic field and directly reused for at least five cycles without significant loss of its activity.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Hemoglobin Based on Fe3O4@SiO2 Nanoparticles Modified Electrode

A biosensor based on hemoglobin‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticle bioconjunctions modified indium‐tin‐oxide (Hb/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/ITO) electrode was fabricated to determine the concentration of H₂O₂. UV‐vis absorption spectra, fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to characterize the bioconjunction of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ with Hb. Experimental results demonstrate that the immobilized Hb on the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ matrix retained its native structure well. In addition, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) are very effective in facilitating electron transfer of the immobilized enzyme, which can be attributed to the unique nanostructure and larger surface area of the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ NPs. The biosensor displayed good performance for the detection of H₂O₂ with a wide linear range from 2.03×10^?6 to 4.05×10^?3 mol/L and a detection limit of 0.32 µmol/L. The resulting biosensor exhibited fast amperometric response, good stability, reproducibility, and selectivity to H₂O₂.     

Binary α-Fe2O3–Co3O4 nanostructures for advanced oxidation process: Role of synergy for enhanced catalysis

Iron and its binary oxides are meticulously exploited for environmental remediations. However, only limited studies have been carried out on the degradation of industrial organics by advanced oxidation process. In this study, iron oxide, cobalt oxide, and iron–cobalt binary oxides were synthesized by a modified hydrothermal method as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from wastewaters. The oxide nanostructures were characterized by different analytical techniques. Studying the effects of various parameters such as catalyst dose, MB concentration, and H₂O₂ concentration, the reaction conditions were optimized to enhance the removal of MB dye. The results revealed that α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows much higher activity than both Co₃O₄ and α-Fe₂O₃ for the degradation of MB at room temperature and beyond. The binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows degradation efficiency of 96.4% at 65 °C within 60 min. Furthermore, the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst retains its activity for up to four successive cycles. A probable mechanism is also proposed, involving the generation of ‧OH radical as well as Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ or Co²⁺/Co³⁺ redox couple of the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst.     

Novel synthesis of Fe2O3–Pt ellipsoids coated by double‐shelled La2O3 as a catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

A facile strategy is reported for the fabrication of Pt‐loaded core–shell nanocomposite ellipsoids (Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL) consisting of ellipsoidal Fe₂O₃ cores, double‐layered La₂O₃ shells and deposited Pt nanoparticles (NPs). The formation of the doubled‐shelled structure uses Fe₂O₃‐Pt@mSiO₂ as template sacrificial agent and it involves the re‐deposition of silica and self‐assembly of metal oxide units. The preparation methods of double‐shelled metal oxides avoid repeated coating and etching and could be utilized to fabricate other shaped double‐shelled composites. Characterization results indicated that the Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL nanocomposites possessed mesoporous structure and tunable shell thickness. Moreover, due to the formation of Fe₂O₃ and La₂O₃ composites, Pt NPs can also be stabilized via deposition on chemically active oxides with a synergistic effect. Therefore, as a catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol, Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL showed superior catalytic activity and reusability due to structural superiority and enhanced composite synergy. Finally, well‐dispersed Pt NPs were encapsulated into the void between the shell layers to construct the Fe₂O₃‐Pt@DSL‐Pt catalyst.     

Fe3O4@SiO2‐PANI‐Au Nanocomposite Prepared for Electrochemical Determination of Quercetin in Food Samples and Biological Fluids

A new electrochemical sensor based on Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au nanocomposite was fabricated for modification of glassy carbon electrode (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au GCE). The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au nanocomposite was characterized by TEM, FESEM‐EDS‐Mapping, XRD, and TGA methods. The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐PANI‐Au GC electrode exhibited an acceptable sensitivity, fast electrochemical response, and good selectivity for determination of quercetin. Under optimal conditions, the linear range for quercetin concentrations using this sensor was 1.0×10^?8 to 1.5×10^?5 mol L^?1, and the limit of detection was 3.8×10^?9 mol L^?1. The results illustrated that the offered sensor could be a possible alternative for the measurement of quercetin in food samples and biological fluids.     

Preparation,characterization and heterogeneous catalytic applications of GO/Fe3O4/HPW nanocomposite in chemoselective and green oxidation of alcohols with aqueous H2O2

Graphene oxide ‐ Fe₃O₄ ‐ NH₃⁺H₂PW₁₂O₄₀ ^‐ magnetic nanocomposite (GO/Fe₃O₄/HPW) was prepared by linking amino ‐ functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ ‐ NH₂) on the graphene oxide (GO), and then grafting 12 ‐ tungstophosphoric acid (H₃PW₁₂O₄₀) on the graphene oxide ‐ magnetite hybrid (GO ‐ Fe₃O₄ ‐ NH₂). The obtained GO/Fe₃O₄/HPW nanocomposite was well characterized with different techniques such as FT ‐ IR, TEM, SEM, XRD, EDX, TGA ‐ DTA, AGFM, ICP and BET measurements. The used techniques showed that the graphene oxide layers were well prepared and the various stages of preparation of the GO/Fe₃O₄/HPW nanocomposites successfully completed. This new nanocomposite displayed excellent performance as a heterogeneous catalyst in the oxidation of alcohols with H₂O₂. The as ‐ prepared GO/Fe₃O₄/HPW catalyst was more stable and recyclable at least five times without significantly reducing its catalytic activity.     

Ferrocene‐tagged ionic liquid stabilized on silica‐coated magnetic nanoparticles: Efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4H‐pyran derivatives under solvent‐free conditions

An advanced novel magnetic ionic liquid based on imidazolium tagged with ferrocene, a supported ionic liquid, is introduced as a recyclable heterogeneous catalyst. Catalytic activity of the novel nanocatalyst was investigated in one‐pot three‐component reactions of various aldehydes, malononitrile and 2‐naphthol for the facile synthesis of 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4H‐pyran derivatives under solvent‐free conditions without additional co‐catalyst or additive in air. For this purpose, we firstly synthesized and investigated 1‐(4‐ferrocenylbutyl)‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate, [FcBuMeIm][OAc], as a novel basic ferrocene‐tagged ionic liquid. This ferrocene‐tagged ionic liquid was then linked to silica‐coated nano‐Fe₃O₄ to afford a novel heterogeneous magnetic nanocatalyst, namely [Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Im‐Fc][OAc]. The synthesized novel catalyst was characterized using ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission and field emission scanning electron microscopies. Combination of some unique characteristics of ferrocene and the supported ionic liquid developed the catalytic activity in a simple, efficient, green and eco‐friendly protocol. The catalyst could be reused several times without loss of activity.     

Waste to wealth: conversion of nano‐magnetic eggshell (Fe3O4@Eggshell) to Fe3O4@Ca(HSO4)2: cheap,green and environment‐friendly solid acid catalyst

Eggshell is a hazardous waste by European Union regulations, so that discarded thousands of tons per year. To convert waste (eggshell) to wealth (catalyst), nano‐magnetic eggshell was prepared based on the nano‐Fe₃O₄, and then the eggshell was converted to Ca(HSO₄)₂ with organic acid, namely, chlorosulfonic acid. Based on the back titration, 5.18 mmol SO₄H group was loaded per gram of the nano‐structure. Using this method eggshell was converted to cheap, green and environment‐friendly solid acid catalyst. The prepared catalyst (nano‐ Fe₃O₄@Ca(HSO₄)₂) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The activity of eggshell waste‐derived catalysts was successfully evaluated in the synthesis of value‐added products, namely indazolo[1,2‐b]‐phthalazinetrione derivatives as a benchmark multicomponent reaction. In addition, design of experiments shows that increase in amount of catalyst (and temperature), boost the reaction yield, especially with steeper slope at higher temperature.     

Fe3O4@SiO2@Im‐bisethylFc [HC2O4] as a novel recyclable heterogeneous nanocatalyst for synthesis of bis‐coumarin derivatives

Nanomagnetic bisethylferrocene‐containing ionic liquid supported on silica‐coated iron oxide (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Im‐bisethylFc [HC₂O₄]) as a novel catalyst was designed and synthesized. The described catalyst was recycled and used without change in the time and efficiency of the condensation reaction. The Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscopy images, X‐ray diffraction patterns, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope and vibrating‐sample magnetometer results confirmed the formation of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Im‐bisethylFc [HC₂O₄] magnetic nanoparticle. The novel bis‐coumarin derivatives were identified by ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, FT‐IR and CHNS analysis.     

Fabrication of Fe3O4@SiO2 nanocomposites to enhance anticorrosion performance of epoxy coatings

SiO₂‐coated Fe₃O₄ (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂) nanocomposites were prepared by sol–gel method, and the anticorrosion performance of composite coatings was discussed. The structure of the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites was verified through Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Composite epoxy coatings with same concentrations of Fe₃O₄ and Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ were measured by scanning electron microscopy contact angle meter. More importantly, the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites not only obtained a homogeneous dispersion and compatibility in epoxy resin but also exhibited an obvious superiority in enhancing the anticorrosion performance of epoxy coatings. Furthermore, the anticorrosion mechanism of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/epoxy composite coating was tentatively discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deposition of PdPtAu Nanoparticles on Hollow Nanospheres of Fe3O4 as a New Catalyst for Methanol Electrooxidation: Application in Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

In this study, immobilized hollow nanospheres of Fe₃O₄ with Palladium, Platinum and Gold nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtAuNPs) was synthesized by hydrothermal and chemical reduction methods and characterized by various techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays and elemental mapping images. The electrocatalytic activity of the modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtAuNPs (GCE/Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtAuNPs) toward methanol electrooxidation was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry in 1 M NaOH solution. According to the results, Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtAuNPs catalyst demonstrated the highest efficiency for methanol electrooxidation in comparison with Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdNPs, Fe₃O₄HNS‐PtNPs, Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdAuNPs, Fe₃O₄HNS‐PtAuNPs and Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtNPs. The value of electron transfer coefficient (α ) and the ratio of current densities (I_f /I_b ) for methanol oxidation on the Fe₃O₄HNS‐PdPtAuNPs/GC catalyst were calculated 0.61 and 5.13, respectively. The reaction order was discovered to be 0.98 for CH₃OH. A direct methanol fuel cell was developed with the suggested catalyst under several conditions.     

Synthesis,characterization and catalytic performance of core‐shell structure magnetic Fe3O4/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH2/HPG‐COOH‐Pd catalyst

A strategy has been developed for the synthesis, characterization and catalysis of magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH₂/HPG‐COOH‐Pd core‐shell structure supported catalyst. The P(GMA‐EGDMA) polymer layer was coated on the surface of hollow magnetic Fe₃O₄ microspheres through the effect of KH570. The core‐shell magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA) modified by ‐NH₂ could be grafted with HPG. Then, the hyperbranched glycidyl (HPG) with terminal ‐OH were modified by ‐COOH and adsorbed Pd nanoparticles. The hyperbranched polymer layer not only protected the Fe₃O₄ magnetic core from acid–base substrate corrosion, but also provided a number of functional groups as binding sites for Pd nanoparticles. The prepared catalyst was characterized by UV–vis, TEM, SEM, FTIR, TGA, ICP‐OES, BET, XRD, DLS and VSM. The catalytic tests showed that the magnetic Fe₃O₄/P(GMA‐EGDMA)‐NH₂/HPG‐COOH‐Pd catalyst had excellent catalytic performance and retained 86% catalytic efficiency after 8 consecutive cycles.     

ZnCl2 supported on Fe3O4@SiO2 core–shell nanocatalyst for the synthesis of quinolines via Friedländer synthesis under solvent‐free condition

A magnetic nanocatalyst of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/ZnCl₂ was prepared by supporting ZnCl₂ on silica‐coated magnetic nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄. This recoverable catalyst was used for the synthesis of quinolines via Friedländer synthesis from 2‐aminoaryl ketones and α‐methylene ketones under solvent‐free condition. The prepared catalyst was characterized by FT‐IR, TEM, SEM, XRD, EDX, ICP‐OES, VSM and BET. It was found that Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/ZnCl₂ showed higher catalytic activity than homogenous ZnCl₂, and could be reused several times without significant loss of activity.     

Perylene diimide‐modified magnetic γ‐Fe2O3/CeO2 nanoparticles as peroxidase mimics for highly sensitive colorimetric detection of Vitamin C

Perylene diimide‐modified magnetic γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂ nanoparticles (γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI) were prepared and exhibited excellent peroxidase‐like activity. The samples were characterized by HR‐TEM, XRD, Raman, N₂ adsorption, magnetic strength and XPS. The obtained γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI had size of 10~20 nm with high specific surface area of 77 m²/g, and could be easily separated from the aqueous solution by using a magnet, which are in favor of its practical application. Due to the decoration of PDI, the γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI possessed more surface defects (Ce³⁺) and active oxygen species than that of γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂, resulting in the outstanding catalytic performance. And the composite catalyst also showed highly sensitive and selectivity toward VC with a limit of detection of 0.45 μM. Based on the fluorescent results, a possible hydroxyl radical (?OH) catalytic mechanism was proposed. It is believed that the as‐prepared γ‐Fe₂O₃/CeO₂‐PDI nanoparticles are promising biosensors applied for biomedical and food analysis.     

Preparation and characterization of palladium immobilized on silica‐coated Fe3O4 and its catalytic performance for Suzuki reaction under microwave irradiation

Supported palladium catalyst (Pd/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂) was easily prepared by supporting PdCl₂ on silica‐coated magnetic nanoparticles Fe₃O₄ in ethylene glycol. The as‐prepared sample was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The formation of active specie Pd(0) was confirmed by XRD and XPS, and the Pd loading for the fresh and recovered catalyst was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Pd/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was employed for the synthesis of biphenyl derivatives via Suzuki reaction. In terms of the yield of biphenyl, the supported catalyst displayed nearly equal catalytic performance to that of homologous PdCl₂ under microwave irradiation for 30 min but higher than that obtained by traditional heating method for 12 h. The catalytic performance of Pd/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ for Suzuki reactions involving various aryl halides and arylboronic acids were also examined. Impressive yield of biphenyl at 68.2% was obtained even in the presence of unreactive aryl chlorides. Pd/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was recovered by a permanent magnet and directly reused in the next run, and no obvious deactivation was observed for up to 6 times. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation of Ag‐doped g‐C3N4 Nano Sheet Decorated Magnetic γ‐Fe2O3@SiO2 Core–Shell Hollow Spheres through a Novel Hydrothermal Procedure: Investigation of the Catalytic activity for A3, KA2 Coupling Reactions and [3 + 2] Cycloaddition

Taking advantageous of both g‐C₃N₄ and magnetic core‐shell hollow spheres, for the first time a heterogeneous and magnetically separable hybrid system was prepared through a novel and simple hydrothermal procedure and used for immobilization of bio‐synthesized Ag(0) nanoparticles. The hybrid system was fully characterized by using SEM/EDS, FTIR, VSM, TEM, XRD, TGA, DTGA, ICP‐AES, BET and elemental mapping analysis. The catalytic utility of the obtained system, h‐Fe₂O₃@SiO₂/g‐C₃N₄/Ag, for promoting ultrasonic‐assisted A³, KA² coupling reactions and [3 + 2] cycloaddition has been confirmed. The results established that the catalyst could efficiently catalyze the reaction to afford the corresponding products in high yields in short reaction times. The reusability study confirmed that the catalyst could be recovered and reused for at least five reaction runs with only slight loss of the catalytic activity. The hot filtration test also proved low silver leaching, indicating the heterogeneous nature of the catalysis.     

Preparation of novel palladium nanoparticles supported on magnetic iron oxide and their catalytic application in the synthesis of 2‐imino‐3‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydrobenzo[d]oxazol‐5‐ols

Novel Pd nanoparticles were prepared in five successive stages: 1) preparation of the Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs), 2) coating of Fe₃O₄ MNPs with SiO₂ (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂), 3) functionalization of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ with 3‐chloropropyltrimethoxy‐ silane (CPTMS) ligand (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@CPTMS), 4) further functionalization with 3,5‐diamino‐1,2,4‐triazole (DAT) ligand (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@CPTMS @DAT), and 5) the complexation of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@CPTMS@DAT with PdCl₂ (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@CPTMS@ DAT@Pd). Then, the obtained Pd nano‐catalyst characterized by different methods such as the elemental analysis (CHN), FT‐IR, XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM, TG‐DTA and VSM. Finally, the Pd catalyst was applied for the synthesis of various 2‐imino‐3‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydrobenzo[d]oxazol‐5‐ols.     

Preparation for Magnetic Nanoparticles Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@SiO2 and Heterogeneous Fenton Catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

Dyestuff textile wastewater treatment has become a research hotspot due to its high chroma, poor biodegradability, and low toxicity characteristics. In this paper, we have synthesized magnetic Fe₃O₄ and core‐shell Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ materials by hydrothermal methods. These materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, N₂ adsorption‐desorption and so on. These materials’ heterogeneous Fenton has been applied to dye wastewater treatment. Methylene blue was used as a typical target of dye wastewater. Decolorization ratios of methylene blue were determined by different nanostructure composites catalysts. A serious of results of study showed that decolorization ratios of magnetic nanoparticles and core‐shell composites arrived at above 90 % under the weakly acidic or neutral conditions and room temperature. When these catalysts were reused, the results show that Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ materials were possessed with good cycle performance.     

Improvement on physical properties of polyethersulfone membranes modified by poly(1‐vinylpyrrolidone) grafted magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles

Polyethersulfone (PES) and poly(1‐vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) were used to prepare ultrafiltration membranes with grafted Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂). The structure of synthesized PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was confirmed by FT‐IR and SEM analysis. Physical properties of blend membranes such as thermal resistance, Tensile strength, water uptake, and hydrophilicity were also investigated. Blended membranes of PES/PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ have exhibited higher thermal resistance due to increasing the modified nanoparticle content. The hydrophilicity of the synthesized PES/PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ membranes also improved by increasing the PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ content. As expected, increasing the hydrophilicity of blended membrane, caused enhancement of fouling resistance in membranes. Results showed that the content of PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ has different effects on the properties of synthesized composite membranes. Despite increasing the content of PVP‐g‐Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ has a negative effect on elongation, positive effects on maximum stress was observed. Moreover, the water uptake of synthesized membranes was significantly enhanced in comparison to other similar studies.     

Enhancement of Fe3O4/Au Composite Nanoparticles Catalyst in Oxidative Degradation of Methyl Orange Based on Synergistic Effect

Enhancement of Fe₃O₄ /Au nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ /Au NPs ) catalyst was observed in the oxidative degradation of methyl orange by employing H₂O₂ as oxidant. To evaluate the catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄ /Au nanoparticles, different degradation conditions were investigated such as the amounts of catalyst, H₂O₂ concentration and pH value. Based on our data, methyl orange was degraded completely in a short time. The enhanced catalytic activity and increased oxidation rate constant may be ascribed to synergistic catalyst‐activated decomposition of H₂O₂ to •OH radical, which was one of the strong oxidizing species. Besides, Fe₃O₄ /Au nanoparticles have exhibited satisfying recycle performance for potential industrial application.