TiO2/SiO2 prepared via facile sol-gel method as an ideal support for green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles using Oenothera biennis extract and their excellent catalytic performance in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Abstract

In the present study, the extract of the plant of Oenothera biennis was used to green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as an environmentally friendly, simple and low cost method. And Additionally, TiO2/SiO2 was prepared via facile sol-gel method using starch as an important, naturally abundant organic polymer as an ideal support. The Ag NPs/TiO2/SiO2 as an effective catalyst was prepared through reduction of Ag+ ions using Oenothera biennis extract as the reducing and stabilizing agent and Ag NPs immobilization on TiO2/SiO2 surface in the absence of any stabilizer or surfactant. Several techniques such as FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), sScanning eElectron mMicroscopy (FE-SEM), Eenergy dDispersive X-ray sSpectroscopy (EDS), and Ttransmission Eelectron Mmicroscopy (TEM) were used to characterize TiO2/SiO2, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), and Ag NPs/TiO2/SiO2. Moreover, the catalytic activity of the Ag NPs/ TiO2/SiO2 was investigated in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) at room temperature. On the basis of the results, the Ag NPs/TiO2/SiO2 was found to be high catalytic activity highly active catalyst according to the experimental results in this study. In addition, Ag NPs/TiO2/SiO2 can be recovered and reused several times in the reduction of 4-NP with no significant loss of catalytic activity.