Application of Cellulose/Clay/ZnO/CeO2 nanocomposite as a catalyst for oxidation of aniline derivatives

Today, lanthanide oxides are widely considered by researchers in composite structures and food industry. Using these nanocomposites as an active packaging, in addition to increasing the shelf life of food products, eliminates chemical and microbial harmful contaminants on the behavior of a food coating based on catalytic oxidation of aniline derivatives allows them to be removed from food. Also nanocomposites can be used as a catalyst and mediator. Cerium oxide (CeO2) has good mechanical and conductive properties. Its stability and convenient synthesis have led to catalytic oxidation and reduction reactions [1]. In recent years, the development of environmentally friendly materials obtained from renewable resources has attracted immense interest due to the new sustainable development policies. Carboxymethyl Cellulose is a readily available, naturally occurring biodegradable and biocompatible linear polysaccharide [2].Nano ZnO/CeO2 supported on Cellulose/Clay nanocomposite is introduced as a catalyst for the synthesis of azobenzen through oxidation of aniline and mostly derivatives as a green environmental reaction .In this reaction aniline was reacted with O2 in the presence of various amounts of catalyst (Cellulose/Clay/ZnO/CeO2) in various reaction times and different temperatures. Desired amounts of aniline and catalyst were stirred for 6 hours in130°C in the presence of O2 and azobenzen was produced in 90% yield. At the end of the reaction catalyst was easily separated by centrifuge and the recovered catalyst was reused several times without any significant loss of activity.The main objective of this work is to use Cellulose/Clay/ZnO/CeO2 as a new nanocatalyst in the selective oxidation of aniline to azobenzen.