Kausar Rajar

Selective heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of ketone (C═O) to alcohol (OH) by magnetite nanoparticles following Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic approach.

Magnetite nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and effectively employed as heterogeneous catalyst for hydrogenation of ketone moiety to alcohol moiety by NaBH4 under the microwave radiation process. The improvement was achieved in percent recovery of isopropyl alcohol by varying and optimizing reaction time, power of microwave radiations and amount of catalyst. The catalytic study revealed that acetone would be converted into isopropyl alcohol (IPA) with 99.5% yield in short period of reaction time, using 10 μg of magnetite NPs (Fe3O4). It was observed that the catalytic hydrogenation reaction, followed second-order of reaction and the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic mechanism, which elucidated that both reactants get adsorb onto the surface of silica coated magnetite nanocatalyst to react. Consequently, the rate-determining step was the surface reaction of acetone and sodium borohydride. The current study revealed an environment friendly conversion of acetone to IPA on the basis of its fast, efficient, and highly economical method of utilization of microwave irradiation process and easy catalyst recovery.

One pot synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4 Nanorod-PNIPA Nanogel Composite for protein adsorption.

In this study, Fe3O4 Nanorod-PNIPA Nanogel Composite nanomaterial is synthesized, characterized and used for lysozyme adsorption. XRD, ATR-FTIR, AFM and SEM measurements reveal that nanorods-nanogels composite was prepared successfully. The diameter of nanorods and the average particle size of nanogels are found around 150nm and 300nm, respectively. VSM measurement shows that the Fe3O4 particles are in rod shape and has superparamagnetic behavior, no hysteresis and remnant is detected. The adsorption kinetic of lysozyme on composite material is studied via fluorescence method, and the adsorption reaction rate constant is calculated as 0.904s(-1) by using Langmuir-Hinshelwood pseudo second order model. Fe3O4 Nanorod-PNIPA Nanogel Composite is appeared as a fast catalyst for lysozyme like protein immobilization.

Tannic Acid Assisted Copper Oxide Nanoglobules for Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Bisphenol A

ABSTRACT This study describes the development of an electrochemical sensor system for the determination of bisphenol A using tannic acid functionalized CuO nanoglobules. The utilized tannic acid acted simultaneously as both bio-compatible template and functionalizing agent for the as-synthesised CuO nanostructures. The excellent synergy of high surface area and favorable interactions between the moieties of tannic acid and bisphenol A molecules enabled sensitive electrochemical oxidation of bisphenol A within wide detection window (0.1–5.5 µM) and limit of detection estimated to be 0.01 µM. Moreover, the sensor exhibited satisfactory stability and strong anti-interference capability when evaluated against common interferents molecules such as phenol, hydroquinone, and 4-nitrophenol.

Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for the Selective Removal of Mercury

An adsorbent consisting of Hg2+ ion imprinted polymer (IIP) was prepared and used for removal of Hg2+ from real water samples. IIP was synthesized by utilizing 1vinylimmidazole and methacrylic acid as complexing agent and monomer. IIP was characterized by FT-IR, SEM and EDX to investigate the functionality, morphology and elemental analysis. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics of Hg2+ ion on Hg2+ imprinted polymer have been studied and adsorption phenomenon of IIP was found to follow the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second order kinetic model. Other parameters such as pH, temperature, shaking speed, and agitation time affecting the adsorption of Hg2+ were also optimized. The relative selectivity coefficient of imprinted polymer for Hg2+ / Cu2+, Hg2+ / Cr3+, Hg2+ /Co2+ were 122, 103, 76, respectively.