Polypyrrole/nano-SiO2 composite (PPy/nSiO2) was prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization and characterized by SEM and FTIR techniques.It was used for oxidative degradation of hydroquinone.The results showed that polypyrrole was loaded on the surface of nano-SiO2 evenly.With nSiO2 used as the carrier

agglomeration phenomenon of polypyrrole could be effectively inhibited.As compared with PPy

PPy/nSiO2 exhibited high oxidative property for hydroquinone in weak acid solutions

and the degradation process was in line with the rule of the apparent first-order kinetics within 2 h.The results of UV-Visible spectroscopy showed that hydroquinone was oxidized to be benzoquinone by the polypyrrole reactive intermediates

which was formed between hydroquinone and polypyrrole by hydrogen bond interactions.After recovery treatment of PPy/nSiO2

oxidation removal of hydroquinone on PPy/nSiO2 within 120 min was 84.1% under the same conditions.Polypyrrole had a dual function both as the catalyst and the oxidant for oxidative degradation of hydroquinone.