Co-based ternary nanocomposites: synthesis and their superior performances for hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol and adsorption for methyl blue

A new kind of Co-based ternary nanocomposites has been obtained via one step without any additional surfactant at zero centigrade degree. Some experimental parameters play crucial roles in determining the morphologies and homogeneity of the final products, such as reaction temperature and the introduction of Na2S2O3·5H2O. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–Vis, XPS, and BET. The result reveals that the as-prepared samples are Co1.29Ni1.71O4–Co3S4–Co3O4 Co-based ternary nanocomposites with an elliptic morphology composed of numerous fold-shaped superthin films (average thickness of ca. 2 nm). Interestingly, the obtained nanocomposites display superior performance for the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol at room temperature in the presence of NaBH4. More importantly, the as-prepared nanocomposites show the huge adsorption capacity for methyl blue at room temperature, reaches 1100 mg g−1. A kind of new-type Co-based ternary nanocomposites has been obtained via one step without surfactants at zero centigrade degree. The as-prepared nanocomposites display superior performance for the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 at room temperature.