Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Activity of Au/Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Composites

A. Mashentsevaa,b, D. Borgekova, M. Zdorovetsa, b and A. Russakovaa aThe L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Munaitpasov Str., 5, 010008, Astana, Kazakhstan bAstana Branch of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Abylai-khan Av., 2/1, 010008, Astana, Kazakhstan

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A standard technique of electroless gold deposition was modified by changing the composition of Ag-based activation solution. This allows preparation of two types of poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) track etched membranes coated entirely with gold after 1, 5, and 24 h of reaction at 4°C. After dissolving the polymer template, gold nanotubes with outer diameter of 70-80 nm were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol by sodium borohydride was used to investigate the catalytic activity of as-prepared Au/PET membrane. All experiments were carried out for five consecutive cycles and rate constant of the pseudo-first-order reaction was calculated. It was found that Au/Ag/PET composites prepared after activation for 3 min in Ag-based solution (with potassium sodium tartrate as reducing agent) more effective catalyst (k=0.087 min-1) was obtained when the Au/PET samples activated with ammonia silver nitrate solution (k=0.041 min-1).

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.125.1263 PACS numbers: 62.23.Pq, 82.65.+r, 82.20.Pm