Optical, Morphology, and Structural Characterization of Synthesized Eco-Friendly Silver Nanoparticles for Potential Antibacterial Applications

In this work, the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by an eco-friendly biosynthesis using Bougainvillea spectabilis leaf extract, which acts as reducing and capping agent. The AgNPs were analyzed using UV spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, and scanning electron SEM. From the UV-visible spectral analysis we recorded an SPR peak at 415 nm, which is characteristic of spherical AgNPs. The results obtained from FTIR suggest the potential role of biomolecules in reducing Ag⁺ and the capping of AgNPs. The XRD pattern demonstrated the FCC crystalline of metallic silver, showing average crystallite size ranging from 30 to 50 nm. Results obtained from the SEM revealed the morphology and size distribution of synthesized AgNPs. From the images obtained, we determined a spherical morphology with an estimated size distribution measuring 50-200 nm. Furthermore, the AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial behavior against tested bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These results highlight that the silver NPs are sustainable for potential biomedical and environmental applications.