Green Method, Optical and Structural Characterization of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Leaves Extract of M. oleifera

Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) present innovative optical, electrical, and magnetic properties that depend on specific characteristics, e.g., size, distribution, and morphology. Thus, these properties are essential to address various applications in areas such as electronics, medicine, energy, and others. In addition, the performance of this ZnO-NP depends of their preparation which can be done by chemical, physical, and biological methods. Meanwhile, nowadays, the main interest in developing ZnO-NP synthesis through biological methods bases on the decrease of use of toxic chemicals or energy applied to the procedures, making the process more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. However, the large-scale production of nanoparticles by green synthesis remains a big challenge due to the complexity of the biological extracts used in chemical reactions. That being the case, the preparation of ZnO-NP using Moringa oleifera extract as an alternative biological agent for capping and reduction in synthesis was evaluated in this work. Then, the results based on the analysis of the optical and structural characterization of the ZnO-NP obtained by employing UV-Vis, DLS, zeta potential, XRD, ATR-FTIR, and FE-SEM indicate mostly the presence of spherical nanosized material with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 47.2 nm measured by DLS and a mean size diameter of 25 nm observed with FE-SEM technique. Furthermore, in FE-SEM images a homogeneous dispersion and distribution is observed in the absence of agglutination, agglomeration, or generation of significant lumps of the ZnO-NP. The XRD analysis showed that heat annealing induced the crystallite size favoring their monocrystallinity. Those obtained data confirm the synthesis of ZnO-NP and the absence of impurities associated with organic compounds in the annealed samples. Finally, those results and low-cost production present to the synthesized ZnO-NP by this biological method as a useful material in several applications.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Larrea tridentata Extract and Their Impact on the In-Vitro Germination and Seedling Growth of Capsicum annuum

“…In addition, the ZnONPs were very hard to recover during the centrifugation of the solutions at a pH of 4.5. The synthesis at higher pH agrees with the literature, which states that increasing the pH reduces the formation of agglomerates and the particle size [4,10,58].…”

“…The nanoparticles' SPR bands experience a red or blue shift depending on their size [67,68]. On the other hand, Fakhari et al [66] recognized that the position of the band gap increases with the reduction in particle size; therefore, the ZnONPs from 4.5 and 7 pH probably have very small sizes [4,66].…”

“…Nanotechnology is a developing science that has gained significant importance due to its multiple applications in a variety of areas, including textile industries [1], cosmetics [2], food, and agriculture [3], among others. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs), whose sizes range from 1 to 100 nm, have been widely studied as strategic, functional inorganic materials [4]; antimicrobial agents [5]; and as catalytic [6], electric, optoelectric [7], and photochemical stimuli [8]. These NPs also act as a regulatory cofactor in plant-protein and tryptophan synthesis [9].…”

Factores de adopción de nanotecnología en cultivo de quinua

“…Para la síntesis verde de nanopartículas de óxido de Zinc (ZnO) por ejemplo, se utilizan compuestos con baja o nula toxicidad, además de un bajo consumo energético. Además, se reemplazan compuestos químicos sintéticos por ciertas partes de plantas en los procesos, lo que implica un menor impacto ambiental (González-Fernández et al, 2022).…”