Co@C nanorods as both magnetic stirring nanobars and magnetic recyclable nanocatalysts for microcatalytic reactions

The rapid and effective mixing of reactants and catalysts is essential in liquid-phase catalytic reaction to boost mass transport. However, the routinely used magnetic stirring method is impractical for ultra-small systems such as lab-on-chip and flow cell due to the macroscale size of the magnetic bars. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to synthesize catalytically active magnetic Co@C nanorods, which could serve as both high-performance catalysts and magnetic stirring nanobars for micro-catalytic reactions. The Co@C core-shell structure endows the materials with high catalytic activity and excellent durability, while the strong magnetism of Co nanoparticles renders the nanorod catalyst unique stirring capability under an external rotating magnetic field, which significantly promotes the mass transport and also the catalytic efficiency in micro-catalytic reactions. Inspired by the unique structure and properties, the mixing ability and catalytic activity of Co@C nanorods were evaluated in several systems.