Silver nanoparticles embedded on in-vitro biomineralized vaterite: A highly efficient catalyst with enhanced catalytic activity towards 4-Nitrophenol reduction

Biomineralized vaterite with spherical morphology and a porous surface texture was subjected as the inert solid support for silver nanoparticles to form a composite material that was eventually utilized as a catalyst for the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol. The methods assigned were eco-friendly and one of the highlights was the very even and dense distribution of the silver nanoparticles with no evident signs of agglomeration. The majority of the silver nanoparticles embedded were of ultrafine size, with an average diameter of 3.5 nm. This can be attributed to the porous surface texture of vaterite. The composite catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity and remained unaltered for at least five consecutive cycles. An extension of the study, whereby the effectiveness of the catalyst towards the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol was performed in water from natural sources, showed promising results. Hence, this efficiently designed composite material can be used as a potential catalyst for polluted and wastewater treatment.