Synthesis of highly dispersed metallic nanoparticles inside the pores of MIL-101(Cr) via the new double solvent method

Highly dispersed metallic nanoparticles immobilizing inside the pores of MIL-101(Cr) were prepared using double solvent method (DSM). The particle size of Au, Ag, Pd, and AuPd NPs were 2.9   ±   0.7   nm, 1.9   ±   0.6   nm, 2.1   ±   0.6   nm and 2.8   ±   0.7   nm, respectively. The catalytic activity determined by the reduction of p-nitrophenol by NaBH 4 to p-aminophenol of Pd and AuPd prepared by DSM is 9.6 and 8.3 times higher than that of Pd and AuPd prepared by conventional impregnation method. The structure and activity of the catalysts prepared by DSM have no significant changes after three cycles.