l-Phenylalanine functionalized silver nanoparticles: Photocatalytic and nonlinear optical applications

•l-Phenylalanine capped silver nanoparticles prepared in aqueous and sol–gel media.•Characterized using UV/Vis spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, SEM, zeta potential and SERS.•Phenylalanine adsorbed through benzene ring in both aqueous and sol gel medium.•Photocatalytic activity of Phe-Ag nanoparticles-done spectrophotometrically.•Phe-Ag nanoparticles in aqueous media is an efficient non-linear optical limiter.

An extensive study on the behavior of l-Phenylalanine capped silver nanoparticles (Phe-Ag NPs) in the aqueous phase and in a sol–gel thin film showed different UV/Vis, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering and Zeta potential profiles. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of the samples in the sol gel film showed Ag embedded in the SiO2 matrix. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectra (SERS) confirmed that both in the aqueous media and in the sol gel film, the attachment of Phe to the Ag NP surface was through the benzene ring, with the sol–gel film showing a better enhancement. Photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet was measured spectrophotometrically using Phe-Ag NPs as a nanocatalyst under visible light illumination. Intensity-dependent nonlinear optical absorption of Phe-Ag measured using the open aperture Z-scan technique revealed that the material is an efficient optical limiter with potential applications.

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