Self-assembled Ni/NiO impregnated polyaniline nanoarchitectures: A robust bifunctional catalyst for nitrophenol reduction and epinephrine detection

• Published in: Applied catalysis. A, General Vol. 613; p. 118028
• Main Authors: Ramadoss, Manigandan, Chen, Yuanfu, Ranganathan, Suresh, Giribabu, Krishnan, Thangavelu, Dhanasekaran, Annamalai, Padmanaban, Vengidusamy, Narayanan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 05.03.2021; Elsevier Science SA
• Subjects: 4-Nitrophenol; Bifunctional catalyst; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemical sensors; Corrosion prevention; Crystallization; Epinephrine; Ferromagnetism; Flammability; Low cost; Nanomolar detection; Neurotransmitters; Ni/NiO@polyaniline; Nickel oxides; Nitrophenol; Pollutants; Polyanilines; Self-assembly; Sulfonic acid; Epinephrine; 4-Nitrophenol; Bifunctional catalyst; Nanomolar detection; Ni/NiO@polyaniline
• ISSN: 0926-860X; 1873-3875
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcata.2021.118028

[Display omitted] •Ni/NiO@PANI is prepared by a combustible crystallization followed polymerization strategy.•Magnetically recoverable catalysts can rapidly reduce 4-NP within 8 min.•The Ni/NiO@PANI/GCE shows a very high sensitivity of 0.117 nA μM−1 to detect EP.•Unique architecture and DBSA-doped PANI backbone result in excellent materials stability It is extremely significant to address an urgency toward the development of low-cost and efficient catalysts. Herein, for the first time, we synthesize a novel self-assembled Ni/NiO@PANI by a combustible crystallization followed polymerization method, constructed by impregnation of Ni/NiO in sulfonic acid-doped polyaniline, which can be used as a bifunctional catalyst for electrochemical sensing of epinephrine (EP) and reduction of nitro- to amino-phenol (4-NP to 4-AP). Due to the unique nanoarchitecture, ferromagnetic feature of Ni, anti-corrosion feature of PANI, and synergy between the system (metal/metaloxide@carbon) leads superior performance: it can rapidly reduce the 4-NP pollutant to environmentally friendly 4-AP within 8 min, and easy magnetic recycling; Also, it can be used as a sensor for EP neurotransmitters with a sensitivity, detection, and quantification limit of 0.117 nAμM−1, 87.2, and 290.71 μM, respectively. This work provides a strategy to design low-cost and superior catalysts applied in catalysis and electrochemical sensor.