Highly ordered Nanomaterial Functionalized Copper Schiff Base Framework: Synthesis, Characterization, and Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition Performance

An immobilized copper Schiff base tridentate complex was prepared in three steps from SBA-15 supports. The immobilized copper nanocatalyst (heterogeneous catalyst) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP-MAS), 13-carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and N2-physisorption. Moreover, morphological and structural features of the immobilized nanocatalyst were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction spectrometry (PXRD). After characterizing the nanocatalyst, the catalytic activity was determined in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposition. The high decomposition yield of H2O2 was obtained for low-loaded copper content materials at pH 7 and at room temperature. Furthermore, the nanocatalyst exhibited high activity and stability under the investigated conditions, and could be recovered and reused for at least five consecutive times without any significant loss in activity. No copper leaching was detected during the reaction by AAS measurements.