Kinetic investigation of para-nitrophenol reduction with photodeposited platinum nanoparticles onto tunicate cellulose

Photodeposition is a specific method for depositing metallic co-catalysts onto photocatalysts and was applied for immobilizing platinum nanoparticles onto cellulose, a photocatalytically inactive biopolymer. The obtained Pt@cellulose catalysts show narrow and well-dispersed nanoparticles with average sizes between 2 and 5 nm, whereby loading, size and distribution depend on the preparation conditions. The catalysts were investigated for the hydrogenation of para-nitrophenol via transfer hydrogenation using sodium borohydride as the hydrogen source, and the reaction rate constant was determined using the pseudo-first-order reaction rate law. The Pt@cellulose catalysts are catalytically active with rate constant values k from 0.09 × 10⁻³ to 0.43 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹, which were higher than the rate constant of a commercial Pt@Al₂O₃ catalyst (k = 0.09 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹). Additionally, the Pt@cellulose catalyst can be used for electrochemical hydrogenation of para-nitrophenol where the hydrogen is electrocatalytically formed. The electrochemical hydrogenation is faster compared to the transfer hydrogenation (k = 0.11 min⁻¹). © 2022 The Author(s). Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.