ISSN 2995-9246
International Journal of Chemistry | Vol. 12, No. 4, April 2021 | pp. 25–32
DOI: 10.46882/2021/IJC/000148
Article Type: Original Research Paper
Title: Green Synthesis of Silver-Platinum Bimetallic Nanoparticles Using Podocarpus falcatus Extract and Their Catalytic Efficiency
Names of Authors: S. I. Musa¹, K. A. Al-Jubouri²*
Authors’ Affiliations:
¹Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
²Department of Chemistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Abstract: The biological synthesis of bimetallic platinum-silver nanoparticles using medicinal plant extracts offers an eco-friendly and economically sustainable alternative to traditional chemical reduction protocols. This study details the green synthesis of stable platinum-silver (Pt-Ag) alloy nanoparticles utilizing the aqueous leaf extract of Podocarpus falcatus as both a reducing and stabilizing agent. The bioreduction process was monitored via UV-Vis spectrophotometry, which revealed the gradual decay and disappearance of the metal precursor bands over 60 minutes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed highly spherical nanoparticles with an average particle diameter of 16 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the alloyed crystalline structure of the biosynthesized bimetallic system. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated that water-soluble biomolecules, primarily flavonoids and terpenoids within the leaf matrix, were responsible for capping and protecting the nanoparticles against structural agglomeration. The catalytic efficiency of the synthesized Pt-Ag nanoparticles was evaluated by tracking the reduction of rhodamine B dye by sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) in an aqueous system. In the absence of a catalyst, the reaction proceeded slowly, but the introduction of bimetallic nanoparticles accelerated the degradation process, achieving 97.4% decolorization within 10 minutes, outperforming monometallic controls.
Keywords: Bimetallic nanoparticles; Green synthesis; Podocarpus falcatus; Alloy structure; Heterogeneous catalysis; Rhodamine B degradation
Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 12, 2020; Revised: November 24, 2020; Accepted: December 18, 2020; Published: April 02, 2021.
Citation: Musa, S. I., & Al-Jubouri, K. A. (2021). Green Synthesis of Silver-Platinum Bimetallic Nanoparticles Using Extract of Podocarpus falcatus and Their Catalytic Efficiencies. International Journal of Chemistry, 12(4), 25–32.
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