Recently, biosynthesis of nanoparticles has attracted scientists' attention because of the necessity to develop new clean, cost-effective and efficient synthesis techniques. In particular, metal oxide nanoparticles are receiving increasing attention in a large variety of applications. However, up to now, the reports on the biopreparation and characterization of nanocrystalline copper oxide are relatively few compared to some other metal oxides. In this paper, we report for the first time the use of brown alga (Bifurcaria bifurcata) in the biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles of dimensions 5-45 nm. The synthesized nanomaterial is characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis. X-ray diffraction confirms the formation and the crystalline nature of copper oxide nanomaterial. Further, these nanoparticles were found to exhibit high antibacterial activity against two different strains of bacteria Enterobacter aerogenes (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive).

No abstract

No abstract

The inhibitive action and adsorption behaviour of pomegranate leave extract (PGLE) on corrosion of carbon steel in 1M HCl solution at 293-333 K was investigated through chemical (weight loss measurements), electrochemical (potentiodynamic polarisation) and surface analysis [Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)] methods. Results obtained shows that the adsorption of PGLE molecules on the C steel surface obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and acts as mixed type inhibitor for C steel in 1M HCl with anodic as its dominant inhibitor at high concentration. The inhibitory property of the extract was discussed in terms of the mechanism by which its components adsorb onto the C steel surface. Activation energy of corrosion and other thermodynamic parameters such as standard free energy, standard enthalpy and standard entropy of the adsorption process as well as FTIR and XRD examinations of the electrode surface revealed that the corrosion inhibition of C steel in 1M HCl in the presence of PGLE is mainly controlled by the physical adsorption process.

No abstract