Sustainable Utilization of Oak Bark for MnO2 Catalyst Synthesis

Sustainable catalyst synthesis offers a fundamental development via utilizing plants reducing the dependency on synthetic chemicals and minimizing environmental impact. This study presents a sustainable approach to catalysis through the synthesis of MnO2 using oak bark as a precursor. The catalyst synthesis was characterized using various analytical techniques including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). FT-IR analysis confirmed the chemical structure and functional groups peak observed at 1709 cm⁻¹ is indicative of the stretching vibration of conjugated alkenes' C–C bonds. XRD revealed the crystalline nature and phase purity, confirming the formation of MnO₂. HPLC analysis demonstrated the catalytic activity of MnO2 catalyst organic transformations derived from oak bark includes polyphenolic compounds such as gallic acid (RT 9.2 min; C₇H₆O₅), condensed tannins like proanthocyanidin (RT 21.7 min; C₃₁H₂₈O₁₂), quercetin derivatives such as quercetin-3-O-glucoside (RT 32.2 min; C₂₁H₂₀O₁₂), and flavonoids such as kaempferol (RT 35.3 min; C₁₅H₁₀O₆). This study emphasizes the feasibility and effectiveness of using natural sources like oak bark for synthesizing eco-friendly catalysis with promising applications in green chemistry.

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