Green Synthesis and Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles using Prosopis Africana Leaf Extract

Abstract

Patricia Adamma Ekwumemgbo*, Gideon Adamu Shallangwa, Idongesit Edem Okon and Ibe Awodi

Green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has several advantages that include environmental friendliness. Arising on the usefulness of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs) in several research and industrial quarters, we are reporting our current research outputs on the green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄-NPs) from Prosopis Africana leaf extract. The synthesized Fe₃O₄-NPs were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)/Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analysis. The FTIR spectroscopy confirms the presence of phytochemicals in the extract for the reduction of metal ions to nanoparticles. SEM micrograph shows that the synthesized nanoparticles are spherical with sizes ranging from 30 nm – 100 nm. BET/ BJH analysis shows that the synthesized nanoparticles are microporous with a specific surface area (46.6 m²/g), pore volume (0.022 cm³/g) and pore size (1.79 nm). The XRD pattern revealed the amorphous nature of the synthesized nanoparticles and the UV-vis spectrum showed a characteristic peak at 400 nm for Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.