Synthesis and Characterization of Jeffamine Core PAMAM Dendrimer-Silver Nanocomposites (Ag JCPDNCs) and Their Evaluation in The Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Abstract

This paper presents the synthesis, characterization and catalytic evaluation of Jeffamine core PAMAM dendrimer-silver nanocomposites (Ag JCPDNCs). Generation-4 Jeffamine core PAMAM dendrimer (JCPD or P4.NH2) was used as the stabilizing templating agent for the synthesis of Ag-JCPDNCs. Characterization of the synthesized Ag JCPDNC was performed by UV visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The catalytic activity of dendrimer nanocomposite (DNC) was assessed on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4 aminophenol (4-AMP) in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as reducing agent by monitoring the conversion at λ 400 nm. The prepared Ag JCPDNCs displayed a good catalytic activity (K = 0.12 x 10-2 s-1) for the model reduction reaction of 4-NP with the particle size distribution of 4.72 ± 0.81 nm, which offer a mixed type (interior and exterior) of DNC formation. The Ag JCPDNCs can be a valid complete alternative to their existing candidates in the literature with their different polymeric organics components and be great potential for the future studies as new materials.