Abstract
In this work, Andean sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) leaves were used to prepare monodispersed cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles under heating. Visual color changes and UV-visible spectroscopy of colloidal nanoparticles showed λmax at 255 nm, revealing the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis indicated that the prepared nanoparticles were spherical with an average size of 6–10 nm. The semi-crystalline nature and Cu2O phase of as-prepared nanoparticles were examined by X-ray diffraction. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of polyphenols, alkaloids and sugar in the sacha inchi leaf, allowing the formation of Cu2O nanoparticles from Cu2+. Additionally, as-synthesized Cu2O nanoparticles exhibited good photocatalytic degradation activity against methylene blue (>78%, 150 min) with rate constant 0.0219106 min−1. The results suggested that the adopted method is low-cost, simple, ecofriendly and highly selective for the synthesis of small Cu2O nanoparticles and may be used as a nanocatalyst in the future in the efficient treatment of organic pollutants in water.
Highlights
During the last two decades, nanoparticles/nanomaterials have been extensively studied due to their exclusive properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, flexibility, quantum size, high yield strength, rigidity, ductility and macro-quantum tunneling effect, and are currently used in various areas of chemistry, physics, medicine and engineering [1,2]
Copper oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized by a variety of chemical and physical methods including hydrothermal synthesis [13], the wet chemical method [14], solution phase synthesis [15], sonochemical synthesis [16], the microwave method [17], the laser ablation method [18] and ball milling [19], in which a large amount of solvents is required for obtaining pure and well-defined nanoparticles
The morphology and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern of the nanoparticles were captured on a transmission electron microscope (TEM), FEI Tecnai, G2 Spirit Twin, Holland
Summary
During the last two decades, nanoparticles/nanomaterials (of size less than 100 nm) have been extensively studied due to their exclusive properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, flexibility, quantum size, high yield strength, rigidity, ductility and macro-quantum tunneling effect, and are currently used in various areas of chemistry, physics, medicine and engineering [1,2]. Plant-based metal nanoparticle preparation methods are low-cost, simple and ecofriendly and hold great promise. Its star-shaped green fruits produce nut-like seeds with a bitter tastebeen and consumed humans by since Incan due to their of high content of fatty and protein (27–33%), carbohydrates and antioxidants [31]. Environmentally undesirable at a trace level and excessive usage of causes serious diseases in the development of an ecofriendly method for the removal of MB from wastewater is necessary. This human beings [35,36].
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