Synthesis of porous Bi@Cs networks by a one-step hydrothermal method and their superior catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

In this work, a facile one-step hydrothermal method has been developed for the fabrication of bismuth nanoparticles embedded carbon nanocomposites (Bi@Cs) with porous network structure. In this approach, natural polysaccharide alginate acts as both carbon source and reducing agent that can reduce Bi3+ to form Bi nanoparticle. The Bi@Cs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. The catalytic activity of the Bi@Cs for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with sodium borohydride was tracked by UV–visible spectroscopy. It was found that the Bi@Cs displayed high activity in the 4-NP reduction, which is superior to many noble metal nanoparticle supported catalysts. •Porous Bi@Cs networks have been synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal method.•Sodium alginate as a “green” reduction agent and carbon source.•The Bi@Cs displayed high catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.•The activity factor of the Bi@Cs was 242.9 s−1g−1.•Factors that affect the catalytic performance were studied.