Microwave assisted green synthesis of gold nanoparticles for catalytic degradation of environmental pollutants

Abstract

Green chemistry relies on the use of safe and environmentally benign substances to avoid the production of waste. Incorporation of green chemistry principles into nanoscience leads to the development of new areas of research in green nanoscience. Here we report a one pot microwave assisted green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using the leaves Myristica fragrans. The phytoconsituents in the aqueous extract of the Myristica fragrans act as the reducing and capping agent for the nanoparticles. The violet coloured biogenic synthesized gold nanoparticles are characterized using UV–vis. spectra, FT-IR, XRD, HR-TEM and EDX techniques. The UV–vis. spectra shows a sharp intense plasmonic resonance peak at 543 nm. FT-IR reveals the phyochemicals involved in the reduction of nanoparticles. XRD analysis proved the crystalline face centered cubic structure of the gold nanoparticles which is in agreement with the SAED ring patterns. The average particle size of 18.72 nm and morphological evidences were obtained from the images obtained from TEM technique. The catalytic efficiency of the green gold nanoparticles is established in the degradation of 4-nitrophenol and methyl orange dye using NaBH4. The reaction kinetics and effect of catalytic dosage on the degradation were also examined.