Silver nanoparticles decorated on thiol-modified magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4/SiO2-Pr-S-Ag) as a recyclable nanocatalyst for degradation of organic dyes.

Surface modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticle with thiol groups was used for the immobilization of silver nano-particles to produce Fe3O4/SiO2-Pr-S-Ag NPs. The prepared catalyst was characterized by Inductively coupled plasma (ICP), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. In this fabrication, thio-groups played an important role as a capping and stabilizing agent for Ag nanoparticles. Fe3O4/SiO2-Pr-S-Ag NPs show high catalytic activity as recyclable nanocatalyst toward degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), rhodamine B (RhB), and Methylene blue (MB) in the presence of NaBH4 in water at room temperature. With the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy, catalysis reactions were examined. Furthermore, these reactions followed the pseudo-first order rate equation.