Catalytic activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized by Ficus panda leaf extract

• Biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Ficus panda leaf extract.
• Reduction process is rapid, cost effective and eco-friendly.
• Synthesized silver nanoparticles have capability to degrade methylene blue.
• A potential mechanism of catalytic activity of AgNPs has been described.

The present work reveals the catalytic activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized by leaf extract of Ficus panda. The leaf extract was used as reducing and capping agent for synthesis of AgNPs. The catalytic activity of AgNPs was evaluated by methylene blue dye and mechanism behind the catalytic activity was discussed with diagrammatic representation. Moreover, the effects of pH and AgNO3 concentration on synthesis of AgNPs were also studied. The synthesis of nanoparticles was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). UV–vis spectra showed that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) occurred at 421 nm, which is the characteristic peak of AgNPs. The size distribution profile and polydispersity index (PDI) were analyzed by DLS. TEM micrograph reveals that the particles have spherical morphology with size range of 12–36 nm. X-ray diffraction study of the sample illustrates the lattice planes of silver. FTIR spectra provide the evidence for the presence of protein as possible biomolecules responsible for reduction and capping of nanoparticles. The synthesized AgNPs showed good catalytic activity by reduction of methylene blue dye which was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy.

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