Iron oxide nanoparticles coated with green tea extract as a novel magnetite reductant and stabilizer sorbent for silver ions: Synthetic application of Fe3O4@green tea/Ag nanoparticles as magnetically separable and reusable nanocatalyst for reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

Abstract

Green tea extract having many phenolic hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups in its molecular framework can be used in the modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Moreover, the feasibility of complexation of polyphenols with silver ions in aqueous solution can improve the surface properties and capacity of the Fe3O4@green tea extract nanoparticles (Fe3O4@GTE NPs) for sorption and reduction of silver ions. Therefore, the novel Fe3O4@GTE NPs nano‐sorbent has potential ability as both reducing and stabilizing agent for immobilization of silver nanoparticles to make a novel magnetic silver nanocatalyst (Fe3O4@GTE/Ag NPs). Inductively coupled plasma analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, energy‐dispersive X‐ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to characterize the catalyst. Fe3O4@GTE/Ag NPs shows high catalytic activity as a recyclable nanocatalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol at room temperature.