immobilization of n-doped carbon porous networks containing copper nanoparticles on carbon felt fibers for industrial catalytic application

Applying green techniques and treating efficiently organic pollutants in water might be one of the biggest challenges in chemistry. in this work, reduction of environmental pollutants such as toxic 4-nitrophenol, methylene blue and rhodamine b by nabh4 at room temperature has been studied using a series of surface modified carbon fiber felts with cu(x wt%, x = 1.5, 3.0, 5.0) nanoparticles buried in nitrogen doped carbon porous network [1].the catalyst which denoted as cu(x wt%)/n-cf was prepared by pyrolysis of carbon fiber felts containing different amounts of cu(salen) complex at 650 °c for 2 h under argon atmosphere. the most efficient catalyst not only shows high performance and recyclability but also due to having bulk structure could be applied industrially for waste water treatments. the catalytic performance of synthesized composites attributed to the narrow and high distribution of copper nanoparticles in the matrix of modified carbon fibers felt. in the optimum conditions, cu(1.5 wt%)/n-cf exhibited the highest rate constant of k = 0.045 s-1, and tof = 23.7 h-1at room temperature for reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol which is significant in comparison with expensive metal–based nanocatalysts. this composite could be an ideal platform for use as sustainable and green heterogeneous catalyst in many chemical processes and waste water treatments.biography mehran ghiaci is a professor of chemistry at isfahan university of technology (iran). he received his bs (1973) and ms (1974) in chemistry from pars college (iran). he received his phd degree (1980) in physical organic chemistry from university of california at los angeles (usa). his current research interests include physical organic chemistry, heterogeneous catalysts, organic synthesis, surface chemistry and chemical sensing.