Artificial intelligence driven design of FeAg(PO4)2 nanocatalyst for benzimidazole synthesis and L-cysteine detection
摘要
This study presents a novel bimetallic iron–silver phosphate (FeAg(PO4)2) nanocatalyst. We detail a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of FeAg(PO4)2, a hetero-structured composite dominated by silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) and iron (III) phosphate (FePO4). Characterization techniques include X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping, revealing a mesoporous structure with a surface area of 55.60 m2/g and a pore size of 2 nm. Machine learning, particularly the Random Forest Tree model, predicted energy per atom of − 7.17 eV, and a band gap of 1.87 eV, indicating high stability and suitability for catalysis. The nano-catalyst showed high efficiency in synthesizing benzimidazole derivatives (up to 95% yield in 10 min at 60 °C in ethanol) and was reusable for five cycles. It also demonstrated selective fluorescence quenching for L-cysteine detection, with sulfur-containing amino acids exhibiting higher fluorescence. The study concludes with potential applications in pharmaceuticals and sensing, encouraging further research.