Nitrogen-Enriched Fe3O4@Carbon Nanospheres Derived from Fe3O4@3-Aminophenol/Formaldehyde Resin Nanospheres Based on a Facile Hydrothermal Strategy: Towards a Robust Catalyst Scaffold for Platinum Nanocrystals.

Abstract

Robust nitrogen-enriched Fe3O4@carbon nanospheres have been fabricated as a catalyst scaffold for Pt nanoparticles. In this work, core-shell Fe3O4@3-aminophenol/formaldehyde (APF) nanocomposites were first synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, and subsequently carbonized to Fe3O4@N-Carbon nanospheres for in situ growth of Pt nanocrystals. Abundant amine groups were distributed uniformly onto Fe3O4@N-Carbon nanospheres, which not only improved the dispersity and stability of the Pt nanocrystals, but also endowed the Pt-based catalysts with good compatibility in organic solvents. The dense three-dimensional cross-linked carbon shell protects the Fe3O4 cores against damage from harsh chemical environments, even in aqueous HCl (up to 1.0 M) or NaOH (up to 1.0 M) solutions under ultrasonication for 24 hours, which indicates that it can be used as a robust catalyst scaffold. In the reduction of nitrobenzene compounds, the Fe3O4@N-Carbon@Pt nanocatalysts show outstanding catalytic activity, stability, and recoverability.