CoFe Nanoparticle-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide\nfor the Highly Efficient Reduction of 4‑Nitrophenol

Abstract

High-performance,\nnonprecious metal catalysts with special morphologies\nand easy-to-recycle properties are essential for the treatment of\nenvironmental pollutants. Herein, CoFe nanoparticle-decorated reduced\ngraphene oxide (RGO) catalysts were designed and successfully fabricated,\nand the catalyst was then used to reduce 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol.\nOutstanding catalytic properties with a reduction rate constant of\n4.613 min^–1 were achieved due to the synergistic\nproperties of the CoFe metal alloy and the high-conductivity RGO components\nin the catalysts. In addition, the catalyst was conveniently recovered\nvia magnets due to its inherent magnetic properties. The facile preparation,\noutstanding catalytic performance, structural stability, and low material\ncosts make the CoFe/RGO nanocatalyst a promising candidate for potential\napplications in catalysis.