Synthesis and characterization of trimetallic AgPdAu alloy nanoparticles and their application in removal of methylene blue and methyl orange from wastewater

This study aimed to develop a novel AgPdAu trimetallic alloy nanoparticles (TANPs) with abundant catalytic sites for the efficient reduction of various dyes in wastewater and textile industries. The AgPdAu TANPs have shown excellent catalytic efficiency, as demonstrated via the reduction of Methylene blue (MB) and Methyl orange (MO) by NaBH₄. The entire conversion of MB to LMB is ultra-fast and took just 20 s when using 25 μL AgPdAu TANPs colloid with an apparent rate constant of 19.353 min⁻¹. In contrast, the catalytic decolorization of MO required 30 s when using 100 μL TANPs colloid with a rate constant of 6.794 min⁻¹. The results show that the AgPdAu TANPs have the best catalytic performance for reducing MB and MO compared to the bimetallic and monometallic nanoparticles (NPs) due to synergistic effects. Hence, AgPdAu TANPs are a potential candidate for reducing various dyes in real textile wastewater due to their outstanding catalytic activity and good stability.