Eco-friendly synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs): grain size and strain estimation models, band gap calculations, and antibacterial properties

IF 1.6 4区地球科学 Q4 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Physics and Chemistry of Minerals Pub Date : 2025-10-10 DOI:10.1007/s00269-025-01332-w

L. Boumaza, S. Boudjadar, O. Abdelaziz, A. Mougari, M. Zabat, Y. Aouabdia

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Abstract

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) featuring synergistic hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) and goethite (α-FeO(OH)) phases were successfully synthesized via an eco-friendly green method using Pelargonium graveolens leaf extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent, with ferric chloride hexahydrate as the precursor. By systematically varying precursor concentration (25–200 mM) and applying controlled thermal annealing, we precisely tuned the phase composition: higher precursor concentrations favored goethite formation, while lower precursor concentration and elevated annealing temperatures promoted hematite crystallization. This dual-phase system facilitates enhanced electron transfer and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox cycling, underpinning the nanoparticles improved antibacterial efficacy. Comprehensive characterization was performed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and optical band gap analysis. Crystallite sizes and lattice strains were estimated via multiple models, including Scherrer, Monshi–Scherrer, Williamson–Hall, and size–strain plot methods, elucidating relationships between phase composition and structural attributes. Morphological studies revealed elongated hematite and needle-like goethite structures, with phase-dependent vibrational features confirmed by spectroscopic analyses. Antibacterial activities were assessed against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains using well diffusion assays. Goethite-rich IO-NPs exhibited notable inhibition zones, achieving 25 ± 2 mm against S. aureus, attributed to enhanced ROS-mediated bacterial inactivation. Commercial gentamicin served as a positive control, contextualizing the clinical relevance of the green-synthesized IO-NPs. This work demonstrates that green synthesis-driven phase control enhances antibacterial performance via synergistic iron oxide phases and redox mechanisms, highlighting the potential of eco-friendly IO-NPs for sustainable biomedical and environmental applications.

Graphical Abstract

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环保合成氧化铁纳米颗粒（IO-NPs）：晶粒尺寸和应变估计模型，带隙计算和抗菌性能

以六水氯化铁为前驱体，以天牛叶提取物为天然还原剂和稳定剂，采用绿色环保的方法成功合成了赤铁矿（α-Fe2O3）和针铁矿（α-FeO(OH)）相协同的氧化铁纳米颗粒（IO-NPs）。通过系统地改变前驱体浓度（25-200 mM）并采用可控的热退火，我们精确地调整了相组成：较高的前驱体浓度有利于针铁矿的形成，而较低的前驱体浓度和较高的退火温度促进赤铁矿的结晶。这种双相体系通过Fe2+/Fe3+氧化还原循环促进了电子转移和活性氧（ROS）的产生，从而增强了纳米颗粒的抗菌效果。采用场发射扫描电镜（FE-SEM）、x射线粉末衍射（XRPD）、傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱、拉曼光谱和光学带隙分析对其进行了综合表征。通过多种模型（包括Scherrer、Monshi-Scherrer、Williamson-Hall和尺寸-应变图方法）估算了晶体尺寸和晶格应变，阐明了相组成与结构属性之间的关系。形态学研究显示了细长的赤铁矿和针状针铁矿结构，具有相依赖的振动特征，由光谱分析证实。采用孔扩散法测定革兰氏阳性（金黄色葡萄球菌、枯草芽孢杆菌）和革兰氏阴性（大肠杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌）菌株的抑菌活性。富含针铁矿的IO-NPs表现出明显的抑制区，对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制面积达到25±2 mm，这归因于ros介导的细菌失活增强。商业庆大霉素作为阳性对照，说明绿色合成的io - np的临床相关性。这项工作表明，绿色合成驱动的相控制通过协同氧化铁相和氧化还原机制增强了抗菌性能，突出了生态友好型IO-NPs在可持续生物医学和环境应用方面的潜力。图形抽象

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来源期刊

Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 地学-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

14.30%

发文量

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Physics and Chemistry of Minerals is an international journal devoted to publishing articles and short communications of physical or chemical studies on minerals or solids related to minerals. The aim of the journal is to support competent interdisciplinary work in mineralogy and physics or chemistry. Particular emphasis is placed on applications of modern techniques or new theories and models to interpret atomic structures and physical or chemical properties of minerals. Some subjects of interest are: -Relationships between atomic structure and crystalline state (structures of various states, crystal energies, crystal growth, thermodynamic studies, phase transformations, solid solution, exsolution phenomena, etc.) -General solid state spectroscopy (ultraviolet, visible, infrared, Raman, ESCA, luminescence, X-ray, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance, gamma ray resonance, etc.) -Experimental and theoretical analysis of chemical bonding in minerals (application of crystal field, molecular orbital, band theories, etc.) -Physical properties (magnetic, mechanical, electric, optical, thermodynamic, etc.) -Relations between thermal expansion, compressibility, elastic constants, and fundamental properties of atomic structure, particularly as applied to geophysical problems -Electron microscopy in support of physical and chemical studies -Computational methods in the study of the structure and properties of minerals -Mineral surfaces (experimental methods, structure and properties)