Layer-by-layer deposition of silver/gold nanoparticles for catalytic reduction of nitroaromatics

Abstract

A general method has been fabricated to achieve normal as well as inverted core–shell architectures of silver/gold through a layer-by-layer deposition technique on a commercial anion exchange resin. Electrostatic field force of the charged resin beads supports immobilization of anionic metal precursors [MX n ]−, in turn deposition of silver/gold nanoparticles onto the solid resin matrix and reduction of 2-nitrobenzoic acid to obtain the corresponding amines through effective catalysis. The shell thickness has been tailored made by exploiting a new method of cyclic and repetitive deposition of the desired metal precursors. Thermodynamic parameters for the reduction reaction have been presented. Kinetic study reveals a comparative account of rates between the mono- and bi-metallic nanoparticles where silver stands to be a better catalyst for the reduction of nitroaromatics.