Evaluating the potential of chitin extracted from shrimp shell wastes as support material of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) for catalysis

Abstract Thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been intensively studied due to their appealing physicochemical properties that can be used in various applications, especially catalysis. However, thiolate-protected AuNCs a free suspension form, tend aggregate during catalytic reaction the high surface reactivity of its ultrasmall size, hence, reducing rate reaction. Their recovery and reusability are also difficult. Therefore, several support materials immobilize for better recovery, stability solution Herein, chitin extracted from shrimp shell waste was as material immobilization protected by p-mercaptobenzoic acid ligands, using deposition-precipitation method. The immobilized with (abbreviated AuNCs/Chitin) were characterized FTIR. AuNCs/Chitin then evaluated hydrogenation 4-nitrophenol model It found SSW has good potential because shorter time it took (12 minutes) compared without catalyst (60 recovered reused twice.