Fruit extract capped colloidal silver nanoparticles and their application in reduction of methylene blue dye

Abstract

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has become a promising environmentally benign synthetic route in nanoscience and nanotechnology during recent years. In the present work, we have developed an environment-friendly and low-cost method for synthesis of silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate using aqueous fruit extract of Dillenia indica. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR study was performed to know the interaction of bio-molecules present in the fruit extract with AgNPs. The catalytic application of the as-synthesized AgNPs was demonstrated against degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous system. The absorption spectra of colloidal suspension of AgNPs showed characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band centred at a wavelength of 416 nm. TEM image showed that the AgNPs were almost spherical in shape having an average diameter of 10.78 ± .48 nm. XRD pattern and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern with bright spots signify the crystalline nature of nanoparticles. The fruit extract-capped AgNPs was highly stable and have showed the effective catalytic activity in reduction of MB dye.

KEYWORDS:

• Dillenia indica
• fruit extract
• AgNPs
• methylene blue
• catalytic activity

Acknowledgement

Authors are thankful to S.N Bose National Centre for Basic Science, Kolkata, India, to provide the facility for TEM analysis. We are also gratefully acknowledging Department of Metallurgical and Material Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, to support for FTIR analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the publication.