Biochemical Synthesis of Ag@AgCl Nanoparticles and its Application in Photodegration of Azo Dyes

The green synthesis of silver-silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag-AgCl NPs) has been proposedas a simple, easy, eco-friendly and cost effective method. In the present study, the leaf extractfor the reduction of silver nitrate into Ag-AgCl NPs and phytochemicals of the leaves act as areducing, as well as stabilizing agent. The Ag-AgCl NPs thus produced are anisotropic in natureand shows different particle morphology depending on the reaction conditions. The Ag-AgCl NPs synthesis procedure was optimized by varying different reaction parameters includingpH, temperature, incubation time, salt concentration, and leaf extract concentration to reactionmixture. The prepared NPs were well characterized using techniques such as FEGSEM,XRD, TEM, UV−visible spectrometry, and EDS. The Ag-AgCl NPs formation was observedvisually by color change and absorbance peak (at around 400 to 450 nm) was observedby UV-visible spectrophotometer. The shape, size, and morphology of synthesized Ag-AgClNPs were monitored by transmission electron microscopy. The face centered cubic structureof Ag-AgCl NPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern and element composition by energydispersive X-ray analysis. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum showedthe interaction of the leaf extract with synthesized Ag-AgCl NPs. The Prepared Ag@AgClnanomaterials exhibited good photocatalytic ability toward degradation of methyl orange andmethylene blue azo dyes in aqueous solution in the visible region of light. The catalyst wastested up to four recycles and showed no significant loss of catalytic activity.