Natural Plants Extract Mediated Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles

Abstract

Recently, noble metal nanoparticles have gained the interest of researchers due increases of its application in almost all fields particularly in biological application. This is actually due to their fascinating optical properties owing to localized surface Plasmon resonance. Among metal nanoparticles, silver is known to have special properties such as high resistance to oxidation and antibacterial activity which make it desirable for biological application. This encourages researchers to develop new synthesis method using material with low toxicity such as natural plants. Later on, this method is termed green method or biological method. In this work, Acacia Nilotica fruits and Guiera Senegalensis leaves extracts were used as the reducing agent and silver nitrate as the source of silver to synthesis silver nanoparticles. During synthesis process the color was changed after addition of these plants extract, indicating the formation of silver nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectrometer was further confirm the formation of silver nanoparticles due appearance of absorption band in visible range owing to localized surface Plasmon resonance. In addition, the effect of plant extract quantity and heating time on the formation of silver nanoparticles was investigated in details. The optimum ratio between plants extract and silver nitrate solution is found to be 2.0:20 and 0.2:20 for Acacia Nilotica and Guiera Senegalensis, respectively. The obtained results showed that the heating time has no significant effect on the particle size but instead enhanced the reduction rate. It also found that the using of Acacia extract produces bigger particles compare with Guiera extract.