Synthesis of Transition-Metal-Doped Nanocatalysts with Antibacterial Capabilities Using a Complementary Green Method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Developing sustainable synthesis methods for advanced nanomaterials is crucial.
• Transition-metal-doped molybdates exhibit unique electronic and catalytic properties.
• Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) extract offers a biocompatible medium for nanoparticle synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve a facile single-step green synthesis of transition-metal-doped molybdate derivatives.
• To characterize the synthesized nanomaterials and evaluate their properties.
• To investigate the photocatalytic and antibacterial potential of the green-synthesized nanocatalyst.

Main Methods:

• Single-step wet chemical synthesis using Ocimum tenuiflorum extract.
• Characterization using optical and spectroscopic techniques (e.g., thermogravimetric analysis).
• Evaluation of band gap, photocatalytic activity (dye degradation), and antibacterial efficacy.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized nanocrystalline (~27.3 nm) transition-metal-doped molybdate.
• Nanomaterials demonstrated good thermal stability and non-toxic nature.
• Mn-doped ZnMoO4 exhibited a higher band gap than undoped ZnMoO4.
• Efficient photocatalytic degradation of solochrome dark blue dye and significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were observed.

Conclusions:

• Ocimum tenuiflorum extract facilitates an effective green synthesis of doped molybdate nanomaterials.
• The synthesized nanomaterials possess desirable properties for photocatalysis and antibacterial applications.
• This study highlights a novel, eco-friendly approach for developing functional nanocatalysts.