Structural, morphological and optical characterization of ZnO nanoparticles prepared by cashew apple as a fuel

Abstract

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NP’s) have been synthesized using cashew apple extract. The synthesized ZnO NP’s were characterized structurally, optically and morphologically by using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) techniques. These characteristic techniques confirm the formation of uniformly distributed spherical particles of 10–35 nm size. Furthermore, its I-V characterization reveals its photovoltaic property suitable for energy conversion devices. The role of bio-fuels in the synthesis of ZnO is gaining attention as promising alternative to conventional physical and chemical methods.