Gamma radiolytic synthesis of poly(2, 3-Epoxy-propylmethacrylate)-stabilized-gold nanoparticles: an efficient catalyst for p-nitrophenol reduction

A facile, green radiolytic route is described for the synthesis of poly (2,3-Epoxypropylmethacrylate) (PEPMA) stabilized Gold nanoparticles (PEPMA-Au-NPs) via gamma radiolytic reduction of an aqueous solution of HAuCl4 precursor ions containing EPMA as a stabilizing/capping agent. The effect of different experimental parameters, such as precursor ions and stabilizing agent concentration, gamma radiation dose and solvent polarity on the properties of Au-NPs were studied. PEPMA-Au-NPs system was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, TEM and particle size analysis techniques. PEPMA-Au-NPs showed characteristic Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) band at ~530nm. TEM analysis confirmed the formation of spherical particles with an average size of 7.6nm±3.1nm. PEPMA-Au NPs prepared under optimized conditions were employed as an efficient catalytic system to carry out the reduction of p-nitrophenol (PNP) to p-aminophenol (PAP). The reaction was observed to follow pseudo first order kinetics and demonstrated good efficiency in carrying out the catalytic reduction reaction under optimized conditions. Copyright © 2018 VBRI Press.