Selective Extraction and in Situ Reduction of Precious Metal Salts from Model Waste to Generate Hybrid Gels with Embedded Electrocatalytic Nanoparticles

TY - JOUR

T1 - Selective Extraction and in Situ Reduction of Precious Metal Salts from Model Waste to Generate Hybrid Gels with Embedded Electrocatalytic Nanoparticles

AU - Okesola, Babatunde O.

AU - Suravaram, Sindhu K.

AU - Parkin, Alison

AU - Smith, David K.

N1 - © 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.

PY - 2016/1/4

Y1 - 2016/1/4

N2 - A hydrogel based on 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidenesorbitol (DBS), modified with acyl hydrazides which extracts gold/silver salts from model waste is reported, with preferential uptake of precious heavy metals over other common metals. Reduction of gold/silver salts occurs spontaneously in the gel to yield metal nanoparticles located on the gel nanofibers. High nanoparticle loadings can be achieved, endowing the gel with electrochemical activity. These hybrid gels exhibit higher conductances than gels doped with carbon nanotubes, and can be used to modify electrode surfaces, enhancing electrocatalysis. We reason this simple, industrially and environmentally relevant approach to conducting materials is of considerable significance.

AB - A hydrogel based on 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidenesorbitol (DBS), modified with acyl hydrazides which extracts gold/silver salts from model waste is reported, with preferential uptake of precious heavy metals over other common metals. Reduction of gold/silver salts occurs spontaneously in the gel to yield metal nanoparticles located on the gel nanofibers. High nanoparticle loadings can be achieved, endowing the gel with electrochemical activity. These hybrid gels exhibit higher conductances than gels doped with carbon nanotubes, and can be used to modify electrode surfaces, enhancing electrocatalysis. We reason this simple, industrially and environmentally relevant approach to conducting materials is of considerable significance.

KW - electrochemistry

KW - hydrogels

KW - nanoparticles

KW - self-assembly

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84948157618&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/anie.201507684

DO - 10.1002/anie.201507684

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84955212130

SN - 1433-7851

VL - 55

SP - 183

EP - 187

JO - Angewandte Chemie International Edition

JF - Angewandte Chemie International Edition

IS - 1

ER -