Light-driven synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Erythroxylum coca extract for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Abstract

The light-driven synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their effect on the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol were successfully investigated in this study. AgNPs were synthesized using a biosynthetic approach with an extract prepared from the Erythroxylum coca plant. The resulting nanoparticles exhibited polydispersity in size distribution, with predominantly quasispherical morphologies. Notably, the AgNPs synthesized with exposure to light using Erythroxylum coca extract demonstrated the most efficient catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol, achieving a concentration decrease of up to 60%, indicating a higher rate constant than the non-exposed group. This enhanced performance is attributed to the smaller size of the nanoparticles. Additionally, the study revealed that the synthesis process with Erythroxylum coca extract varied under different light conditions, suggesting that the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is a crucial variable for future research. These findings underscore the potential of light-driven biosynthesis using plant extracts in developing efficient catalytic materials for green chemistry applications.