Combination of hollow fluorescent carbon and gold nanoparticles: A super-catalyst.

Hollow fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (HFCNs) have been combined with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to produce a special catalyst. The catalytic properties of HFCNs and AuNPs were exploited to conceptualize the new catalytic functionality. The AuNP-embedded-HFCNs produced in situ were found to massively enhance the rate of reduction of 4-nitrophenol (a model reaction) in presence of sodium borohydride. Comparison with functioning of other nanoparticulate catalysts on the same reaction proved our product to be an extremely efficient catalyst.