Phyto-mediated green synthesis of copper nanoparticles: Study of catalytic performance and antibacterial activity

Abstract

The present study represents the phyto-mediated green synthesis approach of Copper Nanoparticles (CuNps) by using Nelumbo nucifera seed extract, as the method of synthesis is simple eco-friendly without using any hazardous chemicals. The seed extract of Nelumbo nucifera acts as both reducing and capping agents for producing CuNps with mixed fine cubic and spinel morphology. The results of the structural analysis performed with the help of UV-visible spectroscopy (an absorption peak at around 535 nm) and X-ray diffraction (crystalline nature) confirmed the successful formation of copper nanoparticles. Also, the FT-IR spectrum evidenced that the synthesized CuNps were protected and stabilized by bio-molecules with different functional groups present in seed extract. The shape of the synthesized CuNps is cubic and spinel with 60-80 nm size range from scanning electron microscope results and the presence of elemental copper is further confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Finally, the CuNps exhibited reliable antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive), Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), and excellent catalytic activity towards Huisgen [3+2] cycloaddition reaction.