Magnetic Pd/Fe₃O₄ composite: Synthesis, structure, and catalytic activity

Composite Pd/Fe3O4 (1) was designed and synthesised by immobilization of tridentate pincer ligands with triethoxysilane groups on Fe3O4 nanoparticles, PdII complexation, and in-situ reduction process. The composite was characterised by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. The composite featured Pd nanoparticles of ∼2-4nm, exhibited good thermal stability and hydrophilic property as well as excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in water.