Poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) and poly(methacrylic acid) were prepared in macro and nano  dimensions and used to absorb metal ions from aqueous medium such as Co, Ni, and Cu and these metal ions within hydrogel matrices were reduced to their corresponding metal nanoparticles.  Polymer supported-M composites were investigated for potential catalytic applications e.g., hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride and reduction of nitrophenols to corresponding amino phenols. It was found that these hydrogel-M systems are very effective catalyst systems with rapid reaction rates and high yiels. The metal content and thermal behaviors of the composite hydrogels were done using AAS, and TGA measurements. The characterizations of the particles were done using DLS and SEM and optical microcopies. The effect of the size and the porosity of hydrogel supported metal composite systems on hydrogen generation was determined, and various parameter effecting the catalytic performance of catalytic system were investigated.

Investigating the catalytic properties of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) hydrogel metal composites

245th National Meeting (2013)

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