Influence of Camellia sinensis extract on Zinc Oxide nanoparticle green synthesis

Abstract

This work addresses low cost, non-toxic green synthesis of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles prepared using different amounts of Camellia sinensis extract. The Synthesized material was studied and characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Zinc Oxide nanoparticles presented the desired ZnO bond at 618 cm−1, demonstrated growth in a purely hexagonal Wurtzite crystal structure, and, depending on the amount of extract used, they presented different size and shape homogeneity. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained Zinc Oxide nanoparticles was studied. The photocatalytic degradation studies were done at a 1:1 M ratio of methylene blue to Zinc Oxide nanoparticles under UV light. The obtained results presented a better degradation rate than commercially available Zinc Oxide nanoparticles.