Biobased green method to synthesise palladium and iron nanoparticles using Terminalia chebula aqueous extract.

There are many methods to synthesise metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) using different reducing agents which are hazardous in nature. Although some researchers have used biobased materials for synthesis of these NPs, further research is needed in this area. To explore the scope of bio-extract for the synthesis of transition metal NPs, the present paper synthesises metal NPs replacing hazardous traditional reducing agents. This paper reports the synthesis of palladium and iron NPs, using aqueous extract of Terminalia chebula fruit. Reduction potential of aqueous extract of polyphenolic rich T. chebula was 0.63V vs. SCE by cyclic voltammetry study which makes it a good green reducing agent. This helps to reduce palladium and iron salts to palladium and iron NPs respectively. Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analyses revealed that amorphous iron NPs were within the size less than 80 nm and cubic palladium NPs were within the size less than 100 nm. The synthesised nanomaterials were remarkably stable for a long period and synthesis of stable metal NPs will need to be explored using biobased materials as reducing agents.

Synthesis and characterisation of flower shaped zinc oxide nanostructures and its antimicrobial activity.

Flower shaped Zinc Oxide nanostructures was synthesized using a simple method without using any structure directing agents. Elemental analysis, crystalline nature, shape and size were examined using Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDAX). XRD revealed the formation of hexagonal ZnO nanostructures. SEM and TEM analyses revealed the formation of crystalline ZnO flowers in which a bunch of ZnO nanorods assembled together to form a leaf like structure followed by flower shaped ZnO nanostructures. Thus synthesised ZnO nanostructures showed good antimicrobial activity towards gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus as well as gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli with a MIC/MBC of 25mg/L.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Terminalia chebula extract at room temperature and their antimicrobial studies.

A green rapid biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using Terminalia chebula (T. chebula) aqueous extract was demonstrated in this present study. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) at 452 nm using UV-visible spectrophotometer. The reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles by T. chebula extract was completed within 20 min which was evidenced potentiometrically. Synthesised nanoparticles were characterised using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The hydrolysable tannins such as di/tri-galloyl-glucose present in the extract were hydrolyzed to gallic acid and glucose that served as reductant while oxidised polyphenols acted as stabilizers. In addition, it showed good antimicrobial activity towards both Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus ATCC 25923) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli ATCC 25922). Industrially it may be a smart option for the preparation of silver nanoparticles.