Enhanced photocatalytic degradation properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by using plant extracts. (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stan, Manuela; Popa, Adriana; Toloman, Dana; Dehelean, Adriana; Lung, Ildiko; Katona, Gabriel
• Is Part Of: Materials science in semiconductor processing. Volume 39(2015:Nov.)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 29
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: Green synthesis -- Zinc oxide nanoparticles -- Plant extract -- Photocatalytic properties; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; Integrated circuits -- Materials -- Periodicals; Semiconducteurs -- Périodiques; Circuits intégrés -- Matériaux -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2015.04.038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8001

Abstract

Abstract: ZnO nanoparticles were successfully prepared by biological synthesis using aqueous extracts of Allium sativum (garlic), Allium cepa (onion) and Petroselinum crispum (parsley). For all ZnO samples, the XRD studies reveal a hexagonal wurtzite structure, without supplementary diffraction lines. The particle size is influenced by the type of plant extract used and varies between 14 and 70 nm. The biomolecules involved in the biosynthetic procedure was evidenced by FTIR spectroscopy. The presence of Mn and Fe in ZnO powders synthesized by using plant extracts was highlighted by ICP-MS. The EPR spectroscopy confirms the presence of Fe 3+ and Mn 2+ ions in ZnO samples and its variation depending on the plant extract. Also, Zn vacancy complexes and oxygen vacancies are present in all analyzed samples. A narrowing of the band gap for the ZnO prepared with plant extracts was observed as compared to that of the ZnO, prepared using solely ultrapure water. The photodegradation studies conducted in the presence of UV light irradiation indicated that ZnO nanoparticles prepared using garlic extract exhibit the highest efficiency in the photodegradation of methylene blue dye.