Spectroscopic, microscopic and catalytic properties of silver nanoparticles synthesized using Saraca indica flower

The bioprospective field is dynamic area of research in the recent years. The present article reports a green synthetic route for the production of highly stable, bio-inspired silver nanoparticles using dried Saraca indica flower. The method is facile, cost effective, simple and reproducible. The reduction of silver ions and the formation of silver nanoparticles has been monitored using UV-visible spectroscopy. The TEM, SAED and XRD result reveal that the silver nanoparticles are crystalline in nature. FTIR spectra are used to identify the biomolecules that bind on the surface of silver nanoparticles, which increased the stability of the particles. S. indica flower extract plays its role as an excellent reducing agent of silver ions and the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles are safer to environment. Also the size dependent catalytic activity of silver nanoparticles in the reduction of cationic dye, Methylene blue by NaBH4 is studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. The efficiency of synthesized nanoparticles as an excellent catalyst is proved by the reduction of Methylene blue which is confirmed by the decrease in the absorbance with time and is attributed to electron relay effect.