Catalytic activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Crinum asiaticum (Sudarshan) leaf extract

Abstract

Synthesizing silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) from the green route has been gaining momentum in recent years since it is an eco-friendly, cost-efficient, non-toxic and straightforward use of precursors. The study presents a green route to synthesize Ag-NPs using green leaves of Crinum asiaticum and examines how biomolecules present in Crinum asiaticum lead to the formation of Ag-NPs. Biosynthesized Ag-NPs were confirmed, and the effect of varying pH, reaction temperature and plant extract concentration on the reduction of silver ions was observed. Ag-NPs exhibit an absorption peak at around 449 nm due to surface plasmon resonance. The size, morphology, crystalline structure and stability of Ag-NPs were examined using different techniques like absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and zeta potential analysis. The shape of Ag-NPs was spherical and the average particle size was about 11 nm. Appreciable catalytic properties of Ag-NPs were also ascertained by reducing a toxic dye like methylene blue (MB) in the presence of NaBH4 with a rate constant of 0.097 min−1.