Impact of testing temperature on the structure and catalytic properties of au nanotubes composites

Abstract

In the paper, the catalytic activity of composites based on gold nanotubes and ion track membranes was studied using bench reaction of the p-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction in the temperature range of 25-40 °C. The efficiency of the prepared catalysts was estimated on the rate constant of the reaction and by conversion degree of 4-NP to p-aminophenol (4-AP). The comprehensive evaluation of the structure was performed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. A decreasing of the composites activity was observed when the reaction were carried out at the temperature over 35 °C, due to an increased average crystallite size from 7.31±1.07 to 10.35±3.7 nm (after 1st run). In temperature range of 25-35 °C the efficiency of the composite catalyst was unchanged in 3 runs and decreases by 24-32 % after the 5th run. At the high temperature of 40 °C after the 5th run the composite become completely catalytically inert.