Phyto-enhanced Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Extract of Calotropis procera

Abstract

In this work, green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles with extract of Calotropis procera as reducing and capping agent was carried out. Fe3+: Fe2+ were mixed in ration 2: 1 on mole ratio and the resulting mixture was adjusted to pH 9. The mixture of the salt precursor and the plant extract yielded an immediate colour change and was stirred for a period of 1 hour. The resulting colloid obtained was characterized to determine the formation of iron oxide nanoparticle, size, morphology, crystallinity and the bond present using dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy respectively. DLS showed particles having an average size of 54 nm, UV-vis spectroscopy showed the characteristic optical extinction of magnetite nanoparticles with absorption peak of 404 nm. XRD confirmed the formation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles having an average crystallite size of 19.6 nm. The degree of graphitization studied by Raman spectroscopy revealed dominant structure conforming to magnetite nanoparticles at frequency of 668 cm-1. The phytochemicals that aided the reduction and stabilization of the nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR spectra. The results support the fabrication of nanomaterials having possible potential for application as drilling fluid additive via the green synthesis route.