Abstract
Nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized by a reaction of nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO3)2·6H2O) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The synthesized NiO nanoparticles were examined with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and ultravio-let-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. The NiO nanoparticles were used as the catalyst for the reduction of o- and m-nitroaniline to phenylenediamine. The reduction rate of m-nitroaniline was faster than that of o-nitroaniline. The reduction rate for both o- and m-nitroaniline increased as the reaction temperature increased. The rate of reduction for nitroaniline followed a pseudo first-order reaction rate law.
Keywords: Catalytic reduction;Nickel oxide nanoparticles;o-Nitroaniline;m-Nitroaniline