Silver nanoparticles assembled on modified sepiolite nanofibers for enhanced catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Acid-activated sepiolite nanofibers (ASep) were organically modified with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) to produce the amino-functionalized nanofibers (NH 2 -ASep). Due to the amino groups, highly dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were assembled on the surface of NH 2 -ASep by a simple chemical reduction approach, and the AgNPs were smaller than those directly deposited onto ASep surface. The as-synthesized Ag/NH 2 -ASep nanofiber catalysts exhibited an excellent catalytic activity in the reduction process of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with full conversion within 150 s in the presence of NaBH 4 as the reductant . The results indicated that Ag/NH 2 -ASep nanofiber catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic activities because the highly dispersed of small-sized AgNPs were exposed on the surface of highly dispersed nanofibers with amino functional groups, allowing effective contact with the reactants and catalysis of the reaction. Moreover, the Ag/NH 2 -ASep nanofiber catalysts are stable and easy to use for the catalytic reaction due to their one-dimensional nanofiber structure with functional amino groups.