Remediation of wastewater containing 4-nitrophenol using ionic liquid stabilized nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterizations and applications.

In the present study, an ionic liquid (IL) based on 1-butyl-3- (trimethoxysilylpropyl) -imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL) was prepared using metathesis and anion exchange reactions and used to stabilize silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles. The IL-stabilized silver nanoparticles AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 were produced in an aqueous solution with NaBH 4 as a reducing agent. TGA, FTIR, XRD, BET, FSEM, TEM/HRTEM, XPS, and UV–Vis spectra were used to analyze AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 and were used for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of NaBH 4. AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 showed excellent catalytic properties for the reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP and showed 100% conversion of 4-NP to 4-AP within 6 min and the rate constant (k) was found to be 8.33 × 10−3 s−1. The reusability results indicated that 97.8% of 4-NP was converted to 4-AP with highly stable rate constants over six consecutive cycles. The activity factor (AF) and the turn-over frequency (TOF) at room temperature were 3.33 s−1 gm−1 and 0.166 s−1, respectively. This study extends a new approach to the production of stable catalysts for the growing needs in wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Ionic liquid-stabilized silver nanoparticles AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 were produced. • AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 was used for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol. • AgNPs@[BMSI]BF 4 showed 100% conversion from 4-PNP to 4-AP within 6 min. • Reusability showed that 97.8% 4-NP converted to 4-AP over 4 successive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]