Natural template-assisted green synthesis of cobalt oxide and its surface functionalization using β-alanine for biological applications

Abstract

The incorporation of nanotechnology into material science has brought great advancements in diverse fields like medicine, electronics, energy, and the environment. Metal oxides gained notable attention from various nanomaterials due to their unique structure and properties. Cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co₃O₄) stand out especially due to their diverse properties and applications. Synthesis of metal oxides through the traditional method faces many drawbacks, such as the use of toxic chemicals, a complex procedure, and environmental and health impacts. Whereas the green method of synthesis using natural resources, followed by surface modification with amino acids, acts as a better option for metal oxide synthesis. This paper focuses on developing a green, sustainable, and scalable method for synthesising Co₃O₄ nanoparticles, using a natural template, gum Arabic, followed by surface functionalization of β-alanine. Various physico-chemical characterisation techniques such as DLS, TEM, FTIR and XRD were used to study nanoparticle composition and properties. Biocompatibility studies, cell viability assays and fibroblast cell lines from human skin by Alamar Blue assay, were carried out to test the effects of synthesised nanoparticles, and optimised protocols were also used to enhance performance for particular biomedical applications. Incorporating green synthesis and advanced techniques, β-alanine functionalized Co₃O₄ nanoparticles, this research points toward developing more stable, biocompatible, and reactive nanoparticles under biological conditions. and multifunctional Co₃O₄ nanomaterials. Overall, the current study aims at sustainability with innovation towards transformative various biological applications in healthcare, biomedicine, diagnostics, MRI, biosensors, photo-sensing agents and energy technologies while addressing significant gaps in present methodologies.