Silver metal nano-matrixes as high efficiency and versatile catalytic reactors for environmental remediation

Abstract

Nano-porous metallic matrixes (NMMs) offer superior surface to volume ratios as well as enhanced optical, photonic, and electronic properties to bulk metallic materials. Such behaviours are correlated to the nano-scale inter-grain metal domains that favour the presence of electronic vacancies. In this work, continuous 3D NMMs were synthesized for the first time through a simple diffusion-reduction process whereby the aerogel matrix was functionalized with (3-Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane. The surface energy of the silica monolith templates was tuned to improve the homogeneity of the reduction process while thiol functionalization facilitated the formation of a high density of seeding points for metal ions to reduce. The diameter of NMMs was between 2 and 1000 nm, corresponding to a silver loading between 1.23 and 41.16 at.%. A rates of catalytic degradation kinetics of these NMMS which is three orders of magnitude higher than those of the non-functionalized silver-silica structures. Furthermore, the enhancement in mechanical stability at nanoscale which was evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy force measurements, electronic density and chemical inertness was assessed and critically correlated to their catalytic potential. This strategy opens up new avenues for design of complex architectures of either single or multi-metal alloy NMMs with enhanced surface properties for various applications.

Functionalized Silicas for Metal‐Free and Metal‐Based Catalytic Applications: A Review in Perspective of Green Chemistry

“…3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) is the mostly used mercaptosilane for the preparation of sulfur FSs . T. T. V. Tran et al.…”

“…have reacted (3‐chloromethyl)pyridinehydrochloride with thiol FS in the presence of triethylamine . On the other hand, in few cases, thiol FSs have been utilized without undergoing the aforementioned chemical modifications . In spite of the procedure dealing the condensation of MPTMS and silica under refluxing conditions in the solvents like toluene, thiol FSs can be prepared by hydrothermal saline promoted grafting (HSPG) method …”

“…For the reduction reactions, FS‐based noble metal catalysts are preferential however the non‐noble metal catalysts immobilized on FS are also recently utilized . To investigate the catalytic efficacy of metal NPs in reduction reactions, p ‐nitrophenol reduction to p ‐aminophenol has been employed as the model reaction .…”

Design and Construction of Ag@MOFs Immobilized PVDF Ultrafiltration Membranes with Anti-bacterial and Antifouling Properties

“…In the previously reported inorganic materials, AgNPs not only have the character of nanoparticles, such as high efficiency and versatile catalytic reactors for environmental remediation but also gained increasing attention in antimicrobial [25][26][27]. Due to superb antimicrobial properties of AgNPs, they have become a promising solution of antifouling membranes via blending, dip-coating, anchoring on the membrane surface by cold spray, and gra ing with polymerization matrix [28,29].…”

Mixed Matrix Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)-Copper Nanofibrous Anti-Microbial Air-Microfilters

“…The inclusion of the biocide agent within the nanofibers, hence in the electrospinning precursor has thus been considered as an alternative to tackle the potential agent leaching issue. Indeed, the coordination of metal atoms present under ionic form with polymer chains imposes a higher reaction energy required to free the metal ions, in comparison with materials where solid metal biocides are deposited or grown at the nanofiber surface as previously reported, thus rate-limiting potential leaching [15]. Among biocides, metal nanoparticles such as silver or copper were among those showing the highest bactericidal potential [9,10,14,16,17,18].…”