Synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4–Pd magnetically recyclable catalyst for hydrogenation reaction

Abstract Herein we report the fabrication and characterization magnetically recyclable catalysts of NiFe 2 O 4 –Pd nanocomposite as highly effective catalysts for reduction reactions in liquid phase. The reduction Pd 2+ was accomplished with polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG-400) instead of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) and NiFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles was prepared by sonochemically using FeCI 3 ·6H 2 O and NiCl 2 . The chemical characterization of the product was done with X-ray diffractometry, Infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermal gravimetry and inductively coupled plasma. Thus formed NiFe 2 O 4 –Pd MRCs showed a very high activity in reduction reactions of 4-nitro aniline and 1,3-dinitrobenzene in liquid phase. It was found out that the catalytic activity of NiFe 2 O 4 –Pd MRCs on the reduction of 4-nitro aniline and 1,3-dinitrobenzene in liquid phase are between 99–93% and 98–93%, respectively. Magnetic character of this system allowed recovery and multiple use without significant loss of its catalytic activity. It is found that NiFe 2 O 4 –Pd MRCs showed very efficient catalytic activity and multiple usability.