Cobalt Graphitic Carbon Nanoparticles for Catalytic Hydrogenation of 2,4-Dinitrophenol

Abstract Cobalt carbon nanoparticles CoCNPs were prepared by pyrolysis of cobalt phenanthroline complex at different pyrolysis temperature and time of pyrolysis and used for the catalytic hydrogenation of 2,4-dinitrophenol. CoCNPs (1) and (3) were prepared by heating at 600 ºC and 800 °C respectively, while (2) was prepared by heating at 600 °C with an additional intermediate stage at 300 °C. The structures and chemical properties of the three catalysts were correlated with their catalytic activities. Among the three studied catalysts, the highest rate constant was obtained for (2) while the highest conversion was achieved by (3). Our data show that an increase in oxygen content of the cobalt carbon nano-catalyst reduces the catalytic activity, while an increase in pyrolysis temperature improves the conversion yield.