Green engineered silver (Ag NPs) nanoparticles enable for thermal, optical behavior and catalytic elimination of organic pollutants

Abstract

A contemporary and environmentally conscious technique for producing silver nanoparticles involves utilizing plant-based synthesis, which offers a straightforward and sustainable substitute for conventional chemical and physical methods. This research outlines an economically viable green synthesis of silver nanoclusters (AgNPs), using Morinda citrifolia leaf extract as both a reducing and stabilizing agent. The successful creation of silver nanoparticles in the solution was verified through ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Analysis using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method indicated that the resulting nanoparticles possessed a notably high surface area of 58.4 m² per gram. The synthesized green AgNPs demonstrated notable catalytic properties, particularly in the degradation of organic contaminants, including p-nitrophenol (p-NP) and methyl orange (MO) dye, when used in conjunction with sodium borohydride. Furthermore, the study evaluated the catalytic performance of Ag@M nanoparticles, placing particular emphasis on how varying the catalyst dosage influenced the efficiency of pollutant breakdown.