Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Litsea cubeba Fruit Extract for Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

Abstract EN

This work describes a simple single-step method for green synthesis of colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using Litsea cubeba (LC) fruit extract as a reducing as well as stabilizing agent simultaneously.

Major parameters affecting the formation of LC-AuNPs, including gold ion concentration, reaction time, and reaction temperature were optimized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) measurements at a characteristic maximum absorbance of 535 nm.

The functional groups responsible for reducing gold ions and capping AuNPs were examined by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the crystalline nature of AuNPs.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements showed that the biosynthesized LC-AuNPs were mostly spherical with an average size of 8-18 nm.

The nanoparticles also demonstrated excellent ultrarapid catalytic activity for the complete reduction of 4-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol in the presence of NaBH4 within 10 min with a reaction rate constant of 0.348 min-1.