Synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with silver metallic nanoparticles as a catalytic degradable material via pulsed laser ablation in liquid media

Abstract

Multi-walled carbon nanotube decorated with silver nanoparticles (MWCNTs/Ag nanocomposite) was prepared with clean, simple, and one-pot method as catalytic degradable material for nitro compounds and dyes. This method based on using Nd:YAG (1064 nm, 10 Hz, and 7 ns) for the ablation of silver plate immersed in functionalized MWCNTs solution. The prepared nanocomposite material was investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared sample was studied as a catalyst for the reduction of hazardous 4-nitrophenol, methyl orange, and methylene blue. This study represents that Ag-MWCNTs nanocomposite has a promising catalytic rate constant for the reduction of 4-NP, MO, and MB with values 0.0055 s −1 , 0.017 s −1 , and 0.0098 s −1 , respectively. This research is considered as a powerful, feasible, environmentally safe, and cost-effective route for the production of a powerful catalyst for the degradation of hazardous materials and dyes. • Ag-MWCNTs nanocomposite was synthesized by ablation of Ag plate in f -MWCNTs. • The as-prepared nanocomposite has a good catalytic activity. • The produced nanocomposite has high distribution without using any surfactant. • The nanocomposites were synthesized via simple one-pot green method. • The resulted nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, TEM, and TGA.