Environmentally methods for the loaded of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles on diatomite as a potential nanofiller for industrial application

This study aims to develop an environmental method to load silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) into the diatomite (D) pores to produce AgNPs-D and ZnONPs-D composite material. The AgNPs were synthesized by the AgNO3 solution and Lantana Camara (LC) leaf extract at room temperature. The ZnONPs were synthesized by Zinc acetate solution, NaOH 2M, and LC leaf extract at temperature 80 °C for two hours. The formation of AgNPs, ZnONPs, AgNPs-D, and ZnONPs-D was characterized by Gravimetric techniques, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-vis), FTIR Spectroscopy, and color observation of the composites. The gravimetric techniques showed that AgNPs and ZnONPs were loaded in D were 3, 5, and 10 wt%. By UV-Vis spectroscopy, the evidence of AgNPs and ZnONPs formation was shown by the appearance of surface plasmon bands between 400-450 nm and 380 nm, respectively. The formation of AgNPs caused the color changes of the AgNO3 solution to reddish-brown. ZnONPs formation was characterized by forming a white precipitate, which is the characteristic color for ZnONPs. Spectra FTIR for AgNPs showed peak around 3448, 2969, 1704, 1216, and 1364 cm−1. The peaks correspond to the -OH/NH-group, aliphatic –CH– group, –C=O group, and a C–N bond contained in the leaf extract. FTIR Spectra for ZnO showed the peak at 528 and 898 cm-1 in ZnONPs and ZnONPs-3,5,10%-D, corresponding to the hexagonal ZnO symmetric bending vibration. The loaded of AgNPs and ZnONPs to D does not change the Si-O-Si and Si-O peak for D at 1068 and 789 cm−1. Qualitative color observations were made to determine the success of loaded AgNPs, and ZnONPs against D. AgNPs-D showed a reddish-brown color as the characteristic color for AgNPs. ZnONPs-D shows a white color according to the characteristic color of ZnONPs. The AgNPs-D and ZnONPs-D composites were expected to have excellent antibacterial properties. The properties will increase the application of composites in the industrial field.