Green synthesis of hollow and spiny gold and silver bimetallic nanotubes for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol

Abstract

Abstract Due to the small size of the hollow and spiny gold and silver (Au-Ag) bimetallic nanotubes and their special structure with high aspect ratio, large specific surface area, and quantum size effect, they show great potential for applications in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), catalysis, sensors, optoelectronics and biomedicine. Therefore, it is essential to synthesize Au-Ag bimetallic nanotubes with multispike-like shape and apply them in the field of catalysis. In the present study, silver nanowires were used as sacrificial templates, Galvanic replacement reaction was carried out in chlorauric acid solution in the presence of PVP, and hollow and spiny Au-Ag bimetallic nanotubes (HS AuAgNTs) were prepared. It was shown that the reaction time and the amount of chloroauric acid had a significant effect on the morphology and size of the nanotubes. The rapid catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (4- nitrophenol, 4-NP) to p-aminophenol (4-aminophenol, 4-AP) using HS AuAgNTs as catalysts in the presence of excess sodium borohydride suggests that the HS AuAgNTs have a promising potential for catalytic applications.