Facile synthesis of palladium nanocatalyst using gum kondagogu (Cochlospermum gossypium): a natural biopolymer.

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) were synthesised by using gum kondagogu (GK), a non-toxic ecofriendly biopolymer. GK acted as both reducing and stabilising agent for the synthesis of Pd NPs. Various reaction parameters, such as concentration of gum, Pd chloride and reaction pH were standardised for the stable synthesis of GK reduced stabilised Pd NPs (GK-Pd NPs). The nanoparticles have been characterised using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Physical characterisation revealed that the gum synthesised Pd NPs were in the size range of 6.5 ± 2.3 nm and crystallised in face centred cubic (FCC) symmetry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy implicated the role of carboxyl, amine and hydroxyl groups in the synthesis. The synthesised Pd NPs were found to be highly stable in nature. The synthesised nanoparticles were found to function as an effective green catalyst (k = 0.182 min⁻¹) in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride, which was evident from the colour change of bright yellow (nitrophenolate; λ(max) - 400 nm) to colourless (4-AP; λ(max) - 294 nm) solution. The overall objectives of the current communication were: (i) to synthesize the Pd NPs using a green reducing/capping agent; GK and (ii) to determine the catalytic performance of the synthesised Pd NPs.