Title : Design of a superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 core shell nanocatalyst for sustainable copper immobilization
Abstract:
A multifunctional magnetic nanocatalyst, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Asp-Sal-Cu, was successfully synthesized using a core–shell strategy via a multistep surface functionalization approach. Initially, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) were prepared by a co-precipitation method and subsequently coated with a silica shell to enhance chemical stability and provide a robust platform for organic ligand anchoring. The silica surface was covalently functionalized with aspartic acid and salicylic acid, forming chelating sites that allow efficient and stable immobilization of copper ions. The resulting nanocatalyst was thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, VSM, TGA, BET surface area analysis, and zeta potential measurements, confirming the successful formation of a well-defined core–shell structure, uniform ligand grafting, and good particle dispersion. Additionally, the nanocatalyst exhibits superparamagnetic behavior, enabling rapid and facile magnetic recovery. These properties highlight the potential of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-based multifunctional nanocatalysts as sustainable, recoverable, and efficient platforms for heterogeneous catalysis, paving the way for green and cost-effective catalytic applications.
Keywords : Core–shell nanocatalyst,Magnetic nanoparticles, Copper immobilization, Surface functionalization, Heterogeneous catalysis, Sustainable catalysis
