High strength and catalytic activity of polyacrylamide/graphene oxide porous metal alginates aerogels for phenol hydroxylation with H2O2

A series of polyacrylamide/graphene oxide metal cross-linked strengthened alginate porous aerogels were prepared by the freeze-drying method. These aerogels exhibit exceptional mechanical properties and have been assessed as catalysts for the liquid phase hydroxylation of phenol with H2O2 reaction. The aerogel catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, ICP-AES and SEM techniques, mercury porosimetry measurements and particle strength testing. The results showed that polyacrylamide and graphene oxide could improve effectively the mechanical property of aerogels. Additionally, graphene oxide could decompose H2O2 and shows significant catalytic activity with Cu ions present in the prepared solids. The highest conversion of phenol catalyzed by 4Cu-4PAAm-3GO-ALG was 78.5%, with selectivities to catechol (CAT) and hydroquinone (HQ) being 59.4% and 37.8%, respectively.