Facile solid-state synthesis of highly dispersed Cu nanospheres anchored on coal-based activated carbons as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Coal-based activated carbon/Cu composites were fabricated by a facile solid-state reaction combined with the heat treatment, which demonstrates highly catalytic performance in the hydrogenation reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). And the Cu/AC composites with the Cu nanoparticles anchored the pores of AC have a good stability.268