Nanosized Synthesis of Nickel Oxide by Electrochemical Reduction Method and their Antifungal Screening

Abstract

Nano-particle oxides of transition metals have attracted materials scientists. These materials have exceptional properties which stimulate many advanced applications. As like all other transition metal oxide, nickel oxide has been especially investigated in the degradation of several environmental pollutants due to its properties. The nickel oxide was synthesized by electrochemical reduction method using tetra-hexyl ammonium bromide as structure directing agent in an organic medium viz. tetra hydro furan and acetonitrile in 1:4 ratio by different current densities 10 and 14 mA/cm2. Such nanoparticles were prepared using simple electrolysis cell in which the sacrificial anode is a commercially available nickel metal sheet and platinum (inert) sheet act as a cathode. The synthesized nickel oxide nanoparticles were characterized by using UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis techniques. TEM analysis proved a cubic structure with size of 25–30 nm which was in agreement with the result calculated from the XRD analysis. EDS analysis revealed the presence of Ni and O element. The nanoparticles were tested for antifungal activity against human pathogens like A. alternaria, A. niger, F. oxysporum, etc., which showed excellent antifungal properties.