Author : Shikha Jain, Niharika Nagar and Vijay Devra

In this paper, we report on the synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cunps) through a single route of chemical reduction method. The effect of different concentration of precursor salt and temperature on the morphology of Copper nanoparticals was investigated. The synthesized copper nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrophotometer, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. The average size of copper nanoparticles was found to be 12 nm and spherical in shape at the optimal experimental conditions. The catalysis by colloidal copper nanoparticles was studied kinetically in the oxidation of L-Alanine (Ala) by peroxodisulphate (PDS) in acid aqueous medium. The copper nanoparticles catalyst exhibited very good catalytic activity and the kinetics of the reaction was found to be first order with respect to peroxodisulphate and independent of alanine concentration. The effects of catalyst concentration, ionic strength and temperature on the reaction were also investigated.

Keywords: Copper nanoparticles, L-alanine, Peroxodisulphate, Oxidation, Kinetics.

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.2 (April-2015)