Eggshell Membrane Hydrolysate As a Multi-Functional Agent for Synthesis of Functionalized Graphene Analogue and Its Catalytic Nanocomposites

This paper demonstrates eggshell membrane protein hydrolysate (ESMH), a critical food waste worldwide, can be harnessed as a multifunctional agent for eco-friendly reduction and functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) based on its diverse and abundant functional groups. The resulting GO reduced and functionalized with ESMH (ESMH-RGO) exhibits an aqueous dispersibility and applicability as a 2-dimensional support for synthesis of catalytic Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) with a high density. The AuNPs synthesized on ESMH-RGO (AuNPs@ESMH-RGO) presents a high catalytic activity for conversion of environmental pollutant (4-nitrophenol) to an industrially useful raw material (4-aminophenol). Those results clearly indicate that ESMH has a strong potential in environmental and materials chemistry. (c) 2021 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.