Plectranthus barbatus Leaf Extract-Mediated Synthesis of ZnS and Mg-Doped ZnS NPs: Structural, Optical, Morphological, and Antibacterial Studies

In the current study, the researchers have explored the influence of doped Mg ions on the optical, morphological, and structural properties of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs). The green technique was employed to prepare pure and 2% and 5% Mg-doped ZnS NPs using the Plectranthus barbatus leaf extract as a capping agent. XRD, SEM, FTIR, and UV-visible were used in the investigation process. The XRD results showed that all the synthesized materials have a cubic structure with space group F-43m. The Dav was nearly in the range of 2.02–2.20 nm. The SEM images illustrated that NPs were agglomerated. The UV-visible results showed that the optical bandgap increased as Mg2+ ions increased, which was in the range of 3.81–4.42 eV. The absorption shoulder of the prepared NPs is blue-shifted with increasing dopant concentration. The FTIR spectrum gives characteristic peaks for Zn-S bonds and asserts NPs’ formation. The antibacterial check against E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains revealed that pure and Mg-doped ZnS NPs have higher activity for both bacterial strains. The results have shown that the prepared materials can be used for antibacterial activities and optoelectronic applications.