Catalytic degradation of organic dyes using green synthesized N-doped carbon supported silver nanoparticles

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Herein, we described a versatile one step mild hydrothermal approach for the synthesis of N-doped carbon supported silver nanoparticles (NC-AgNPs) using unripe Prunus mume (P. mume) fruit extract as both carbon inception and reducing agent for silver ions, in which ammonia is utilized as a nitrogen source. The resulting NC-AgNPs has been employed for the catalytic reductive degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). The formation of NC-AgNPs and capping action of P. mume functional groups are studied using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopic techniques. The crystallinity, surface morphology, and surface functionalities of NC-AgNPs are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The formation of NC-AgNPs is confirmed from the maximum absorbance at 442 nm and the appearance of yellow color using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The doping of nitrogen and capping of carbonized phytoconstituents on NC-AgNPs are revealed by XPS and FT-IR spectroscopy. The synthesized NC-AgNPs are performed as an excellent catalyst for the reductive degradation of MB and MO using NaBH4 and the calculated rate constants are about 0.1581 and 0.0785 min−1, respectively.