Title: Green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles from Mimosa pudica root extract

Authors: V.A. Niraimathee; V. Subha; R.S. Ernest Ravindran; S. Renganathan

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, A.C. Tech. Campus, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamilnadu, India ' Department of Biotechnology, A. C. Tech. Campus, Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India-600025 ' Department of Biotechnology, A. C. Tech. Campus, Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India-600025 ' Department of Biotechnology, A. C. Tech. Campus, Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India-600025

Abstract: An aqueous root extract of Mimosa pudica was used to synthesise iron oxide nanoparticles. The formation of iron oxide nanoparticles was observed on exposure of the aqueous root extract with the ferrous sulphate solution. The iron oxide nanoparticles were characterised using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size analyser (PDA) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). UV-Vis is a spectrum of iron oxide nanoparticles showed a sharp peak at 294 nm due to the surface plasmon resonance. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the attachment of bioactive molecules of plant on the iron oxide nanoparticle surfaces. The phase and crystal structure were determined through XRD. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrated that the iron oxide nanoparticles were spherical in shape with 67 nm of surface volume mean diameter. Magnetisation measurements indicates that the synthesised iron oxide nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic behaviour at room temperature.

Keywords: iron oxide; Mimosa pudica; nanoparticles; superparamagnetic behaviour; room temperature; nanotechnology; green synthesis; aqueous root extract.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2016.077370

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.15 No.3, pp.227 - 240

Received: 25 Mar 2015
Accepted: 23 May 2015

Published online: 29 Jun 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article