Green Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Leaf Extract for Reductive Catalysis

This article reports on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that were green-synthesized by using Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) leaf extract and their use for the catalytic degradation of reactive dyes. The properties of biogenic AgNPs were characterized using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transforming infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. The UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs and showed the strong absorbance around 467 nm with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The mean diameter of biogenic AgNPs at room (20 °C), moderate (50 °C), and high temperatures (80 °C) were 9.26 ± 2.72, 13.09 ± 3.66, and 17.28 ± 5.78 nm, respectively. The reaction temperature had significant impacts on the sizes of synthesized AgNPs. The higher the synthesis temperature, the larger size and the lower catalysis activity for reductive decomposition of reactive dyes via NaBH₄. The results supported a bio-green approach for developing AgNPs with a small size and stable degradation activity of reactive dyes over 92% in 30 min by using Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) leaf extract at pH 7, 20 °C, and 1:10 ratio of silver nitrate added to the leaf extract.