Gigartina skottsbergii Setchell & N.L.Gardner (Rhodophyta) Incorporated Organic@Inorganic Hybrid Cu3(PO4)2 Nanoflowers with an Intrinsic Antioxidant and Catalytic Activities

Abstract

In this study, the extract of one of the red algae, Gigartina skottsbergii was used for synthesis of organic@inorganic hybrid nanoflower (hNFs) for the first time. hNFs were sytematically synthesized with different concentrations of algal extract (from 0.5 to 1.65 ml) and Cu2+ in different pHs (7.4 and 9) of PBS. Hierarchical synthesis of hNFs in the PBS buffer did not occur in the acidic medium (pH: 5). The morphological structures of hNFs were detailed with FE-SEM images. hNFs synthesized in morphology closest to the ideal flower structure with variable algal extract concentrations and pH were determined by FE-SEM. Organic and inorganic groups (structural components of hNFs), crystallinity of optimum synthesized hNFs were detailed by FT-IR, EDX and XRD analysis, respectively. It has been recorded that synthesized hNFs have antioxidant properties. hNFs have captured catalytic dyes with peroxidase-like activity. The ability of hNFs in destroying the dye in the presence of H2O2 has been attributed to the Fenton reaction. As a result, an easily applicable, inexpensive, one-step catalyst was synthesized using the Fenton mechanism. It is foreseen that the study data can be applied for nanotechnology field and basic sciences.