Structural, optical and photocatlytic properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained by simple plant extract mediated synthesis

We report a facile and inexpensive method to prepare zinc oxide nanoparticles with different particle size and shape using Achyranthes aspera and Couroupita guianensis leaf extracts as the reducing agent and zinc nitrate as a precursor. The prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles were analyzed by various characterization methods and obtained results evidently revealed that crystalline parameter, purity, optical absorption, band gap, particle size and shape of the ZnO nanoparticles significantly influenced by the type of leaf extract used as reducing agent. Further, photocatlytic activity study obviously demonstrates that prepared samples exhibits superior photocatlytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye by creating superoxide anion radicals and OH radicals under photonic irradiation. Hence, prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles by plant extract mediated synthesis can be applied as a photocatlyst for the possible waste water treatment in textile industry.