Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) microgel stabilized copper nanoparticles for catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) microgels [p(NIPAM-co-MAAc)] were synthesized by precipitation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and methacrylic acid in aqueous medium. These microgels were characterized by dynamic light scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These microgels were used as micro-reactors for in situ synthesis of copper nanoparticles using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) as reducing agent. The hybrid microgels were used as catalysts for the reduction of nitrobenzene in aqueous media. The reaction was performed with different concentrations of cat­alyst and reducing agent. A linear relationship was found between apparent rate constant (k_app) and amount of catalyst. When the amount of catalyst was increased from 0.13 to 0.76 mg/mL then k_app was increased from 0.03 to 0.14 min^-1. Activation parameters were also determined by performing reaction at two different temperatures. The catalytic process has been discussed in terms of energy of activation, enthalpy of activation and entropy of activation. The synthesized particles were found to be stable even after 14 weeks and showed catalytic activity for the reduction of nitrobenzene.