Bimetallic Oxide Nanoflowers Decorated Graphene Oxide Nanosheets as Novel Nanohybrids for 4-Nitrophenol Removal at Room Temperature

Abstract

Technological evolution is merely based upon the design and fabrication of advanced functional materials with remarkable efficiency, sustainability and cyclability. Grain size and shape of the supported nanoparticles significantly relate the reactivity and available surface sites in the nanohybrids, whereas the interfacial integration is the core point for catalysis. Herein, we synthesized pure phase Co 3-x Zn x O 4 (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.5) nanoflowers loaded on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets via low temperature co-precipitation, followed by the calcination at 350 o C for 2 h. The as-prepared nanohybrids exhibit a high specific surface area value of 100 m 2 g −1 and show the excellent catalytic removal of 4-nitrophenol from water at room temperature without the aid of any oxidizing agents or reducing compounds. The surface features and morphology of the nanohybrids and the binding energies of the electronic states were demonstrated to comprehend the reaction mechanism of this sole hybrid for significant 90 % efficiency in a few min. The Co 3-x Zn x O 4 /RGO nanohybrids can serve as the potential candidate for cyclic catalysis owing to easy regeneration with sustained activity after 5 times of reuse.