Synthesis of hierarchically porous Cu–Ni/C composite catalysts from tissue paper and their catalytic activity for the degradation of triphenylmethane dye in the microwave induced catalytic oxidation (MICO) process

• We report a biotemplating approach to synthesize porous Cu–Ni/C catalysts.
• The formation mechanism for the porous Cu–Ni/C catalysts was proposed.
• The microwave-induced catalytic activity for acid fuchsin degradation was studied.
• Porous Cu–Ni/C showed superior microwave-induced catalytic activity.
• The mechanism for the high microwave-induced catalytic activity was proposed.

Hierarchically porous Cu–Ni/C composite catalysts were successfully fabricated by a bio-inspired route involving impregnation and calcination processes. Macoporous networks composed of interwoven carbon fibers loaded with nano Cu–Ni particles, which had high surface area (538 m2/g), were prepared by template-directed synthesis employing tissue paper as bio-templates. The obtained hierarchically porous structures exhibited high catalytic activity for acid fuchsin degradation in the MICO process due to the synergetic effects between the microwave (MW), porous carbon and Cu–Ni nano particles. The degradation of acid fuchsin was a fast process under MW irritation. Not only the chromophore group but also the naphthalene ring and benzene ring in acid fuchsin molecule can be destroyed mostly. Ni addition had a significant effect on the acid fuchsin degradation because it benefited more formation of hydroxyl radicals OH under MW irritation.

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