Three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide architecture embedded palladium nanoparticles as highly active catalyst for the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction

• 3D architecture of graphene embedded palladium nanoparticles has been prepared.
• The obtained composites are three-dimensional, porous, light-weight.
• The size of the Pd nanoparticles is 5–9 nm.
• The nanocomposite showed highly catalytic activity for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction.
• The method can be used to prepare other metal nanoparticles-rGO 3D composites.

3D architecture of graphene embedded palladium nanoparticles has been prepared by a simple two-steps method. At first, Pd nanoparticles was anchored and growth over graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets in aqueous solution using different reducing agents. Then, the as-prepared Pd/GO nanosheets were reduced by Vitamin C, and the hydrogel of Pd/reduced GO (rGO) was formed via a reduction-inducing self-assembly. The obtained 3D Pd/rGO architecture was studied by means of XRD, XPS, TGA, AFM, BET, and elemental analysis, and it revealed that the obtained composites are three-dimensional, porous, light-weight with a homogeneous dispersion of Pd nanoparticles in size of 5–9 nm. The as-prepared 3D Pd/rGO nanocomposite showed highly catalytic activity for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction.

The formation of 3D Pd/rGO hydrogel for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide