Immobilization and Recovery of Au Nanoparticles from Anion Exchange Resin: Resin-Bound Nanoparticle Matrix as a Catalyst for the Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Abstract

The immobilization of gold nanoparticles in anion exchange resin and their quantitative retrieval by means of a cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride, is studied. The resin-bound gold nanoparticles (R-Au) have been used successfully as a solid-phase catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride. At the end of the reaction, the solid matrix remains activated and separated from the product. The recycling of catalyst particles after the quantitative reduction of 4-nitrophenol and the recovery of gold nanoparticles with unaffected particle morphology from the resin-bound gold nanoparticle entity have been reported.