The Effect of pH on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Characteristics Synthesized from Banana Peel Extract

Abstract

In this study, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from banana peels (Jackfruit banana) extract (BPE) at different pH condition. The samples were then characterized to identify the optimum pH condition for producing ZnO NPs and at the same time determine the crystallite and particles size of ZnO. This paper covered a section of green chemistry since green application has become an attention nowadays. Slo-gel method is the method used to synthesize the ZnO NPS because the advantages in terms of eco-friendly, less time consumption, cost effective and easy to apply. BPE is one of raw material that has the ability to act as stabilizer and reducing agent. The samples were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy, UV-visible spectrometer (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunaner-Emmett-Teller (BET). It was found that the presence of ZnO were recorded from FTIR spectra at wavenumber 350-390 cm-1 for all samples which indicating the presence of ZnO bond. The UV-Vis spectrometer was recorded to observe the absorption peak, the highest absorption peak at 367 nm and the band gap was 3.38 Ev at pH 12. XRD analysis showed the ZnO nanoparticles formed to have hexagonal wurtzite structure and the crystallite size between 16 to 23 nm and the smallest crystallite size was smallest at pH 12. BET analysis showed that the surface area of ZnO NPs between 15 to 53 m2/g and the average particles size of ZnO NPs between 20 to 66 nm. As a conclusion, ZnO NPs can be produced from BPE at optimum pH of 12.