The Effect of Solvents Water, Ethanol, Methanol and Acetone on the Morphological and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by using Green Method

Author: Chaudhari L.V. and Gulwade D.P.

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Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were produced using environmentally friendly and cost-effective methods, involving solvents with varying polarities. Throughout the experimentation, certain factors such as temperature, concentration, time, and pH were kept constant, while solvents like water, ethanol, methanol, and acetone were changed. The resulting particles underwent a series of characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and assessment of antibacterial properties. The XRD and SEM analyses confirmed ZnO nanoparticle formation. The size of the ZnO nanoparticles varied depending on the solvent used, with average crystallite sizes of 51.32nm, 81.94nm, 43.71nm, and 95.34nm achieved using water, ethanol, methanol, and acetone, respectively. The nanoparticles that were prepared demonstrated notable antibacterial activity against a range of microorganisms. It is noteworthy that the presence of hydroxyl groups in water and ethanol had a significant impact on the entire process, including the nucleation, growth, and termination of the nanoparticles. This interaction resulted in the formation of non-spherical particle shapes. From the analysis of the results, it is evident that the choice of solvents in this study played a critical role in determining the surface structure, structural characteristics, and optical properties of the ZnO nanoparticles.

Keywords

Zinc oxide, UV-visible, SEM, XRD, FTIR, nanoparticles

Conclusion

In this study, we successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using four distinct solvents: ethanol, methanol, acetone, and water. The structural characterization revealed the crystalline nature of ZnO nanoparticles in the wurtzite phase. Notably, ZnO nanoparticles synthesized with water and methanol demonstrated a smaller crystallite size compared to those synthesized with ethanol and acetone. The UV-visible characterization indicated that the choice of solvent had minimal impact on the band gap, refractive index, and electron polarizability of ZnO nanoparticles. This suggests that the optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles remain relatively unaffected by the solvent used in the synthesis process. Our findings highlight the potential utility of ZnO nanoparticles in various optical devices.

References

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How to cite this article

Chaudhari L.V. and Gulwade D.P. (2023). The Effect of Solvents Water, Ethanol, Methanol and Acetone on the Morphiological and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by using Green Method. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(6): 805-809.