Human Hair: A Suitable Platform for Catalytic Nanoparticles

Abstract

Human hair (HH) has been utilized as a support for Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) for the very first time. Initially, a very fine human hair powder (HHP) was obtained from HH by a simple ball milling method. The HHP after chemical treatment (e-HHP) was used to prepare two different nanocatalysts, Ag NPs immobilized e-HHP (Ag/HHP) and Au NPs decorated e-HHP (Au/HHP). Influence of e-HHP on the morphology of nanocatalyts and metal-support interactions were studied. Merit of Ag/HHP and Au/HHP was realized from its excellent yields in cyclo addition and aza-Michael reactions, respectively. Reusability and heterogeneity tests of the nanocatalysts were also performed.