One-step synthesis of Pt@three-dimensional graphene composite hydrogel: an efficient recyclable catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

A Pt@three-dimensional graphene (Pt@3DG) composite hydrogel with a unique porous nanostructure was prepared and used as an efficient, recyclable and robust catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol under mild conditions. The influence of graphene architecture on catalytic activities was comparatively investigated by loading the same amount of Pt on reduced graphene oxide. Pt@3DG exhibits a very high catalytic activity owing to the three-dimensional macroporous framework with high specific surface area, numerous activation sites and efficient transport pathways. Moreover, catalyst separation can be easily achieved by simple filtration, and the catalyst can be reused for at least five runs, maintaining its high catalytic activity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.