Radiation synthesis of copper sulphide/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposites films: an efficient and reusable catalyst for p-nitrophenol reduction

Copper sulphide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) were in situ synthesised via irradiation process, using Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as host polymeric matrices. The as-prepared CuS/PVA nanocomposite films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both UV-VIS spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of CuS nanoparticles. The FTIR spectrum indicates the coordination between CuS nanoparticles and the OH groups of the PVA chains. The TEM image showed that the obtained CuS nanoparticles have spherical shape, monodispersed and uniform particle size distribution. The CuS/PVA nanocomposite film was successfully applied in the reduction of p-nitrophenol into p-aminophenol as a catalyst using NaBH4 as reducing agent. The catalytic test indicates that CuS/PVA nanocomposite film has high activity for the conversion of P-NP into P-AP and effectively recycled and reused for several times.