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Controllable Synthesis of Mesoporous Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Assemblies for Chemoselective Catalytic Reduction of Nitroarenes
Author(s) -
Papadas Ioannis T.,
Fountoulaki Stella,
Lykakis Ioannis N.,
Armatas Gerasimos S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201504685
Subject(s) - catalysis , mesoporous material , materials science , porosity , nanoparticle , iron oxide , oxide , nanocrystal , annealing (glass) , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , specific surface area , aryl , alkyl , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , engineering , metallurgy
Iron(III) oxide is a low‐cost material with applications ranging from electronics to magnetism, and catalysis. Recent efforts have targeted new nanostructured forms of Fe 2 O 3 with high surface area‐to‐volume ratio and large pore volume. Herein, the synthesis of 3D mesoporous networks consisting of 4–5 nm γ‐Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles by a polymer‐assisted aggregating self‐assembly method is reported. Iron oxide assemblies obtained from the hybrid networks after heat treatment have an open‐pore structure with high surface area (up to 167 m 2 g −1 ) and uniform pores (ca. 6.3 nm). The constituent iron oxide nanocrystals can undergo controllable phase transition from γ‐Fe 2 O 3 to α‐Fe 2 O 3 and to Fe 3 O 4 under different annealing conditions while maintaining the 3D structure and open porosity. These new ensemble structures exhibit high catalytic activity and stability for the selective reduction of aryl and alkyl nitro compounds to the corresponding aryl amines and oximes, even in large‐scale synthesis.