Bimetallic CuPd micro-rods: synthesis and catalytic hydrogenation performance

Abstract

The fabrication of an efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol is of major significance for both environmental protection and industrial resources. Here, bimetallic CuPd micro-nano structures with string, rod, and polyhedron can be fabricated by using nicotinic acid. The optimisation of synthesis was investigated by modulating the ratio of precursors and reaction conditions, and the correlation between catalytic properties and the morphology of materials was also estimated. Among them, CuPd microrods synthesised by 0.20 M nicotinic acid exhibited the highest catalytic activity in the hydrogenation reaction of 4-NP by sodium borohydride. The evaluation of reusability demonstrated that the catalytic efficiency maintained a conversion yield of 98% without significant loss of performance. The synergistic effect of bimetallic catalysts promoted efficient performance in hydrogenation, which will arouse the extensive development of bimetallic catalysts and serve in catalysis efficiently.