Maple leaf (Acer sp.) extract mediated green process for the functionalization of ZnO powders with silver nanoparticles.
The functionalization of ZnO powders with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through a novel maple leaf extract mediated biological process was demonstrated. Maple leaf extract was found to be a very effective bioreduction agent for the reduction of silver ions. The reduction rate of Ag(+) into Ag(0) was found to be much faster than other previously reported bioreduction rates and was comparable to the reduction rates obtained through chemical means. The functionalization of ZnO particles with silver nanoparticles through maple leaf extract mediated bioreduction of silver was investigated through UV-visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that the ZnO particles were coated with silver nanoparticles 5-20 nm in diameter. The photocatalytic ability of the ZnO particles functionalized with silver nanoparticles was found to be significantly improved compared to the photocatalytic ability of the neat ZnO particles. The silver functionalized ZnO particles reached 90% degradation of the dye an hour before the neat ZnO particles.
School of Engineering, Thornborough Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada; Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada.
Singaravelu
S
Vivekanandhan
Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada; Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada.
Makoto
M
Schreiber
School of Engineering, Thornborough Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada; Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada.
Cynthia
C
Mason
School of Engineering, Thornborough Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada; Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada.
Amar Kumar
AK
Mohanty
School of Engineering, Thornborough Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada; Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: mmisra@uoguelph.ca.
Manjusri
M
Misra
D031002:Acer / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
D010936:Plant Extracts; D012834:Silver; D015034:Zinc Oxide
Bioreduction; Biosynthesis; Functionalization; Photocatalyst; Silver nanoparticles; Zinc Oxide