Plant Mediated One-pot Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

In the present work, green synthesis of copper oxide and cuprous oxide nanoparticles (NPs) using aqueous extracts of pomegranate peel and immature coconut fruit was reported. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed using UV-Vis, FT-IR, XRD, EDAX and SEM analysis. From the analysis, it was confirmed that the biomolecules present in the plant extract act as reducing and stabilizing agents to protect the core of the nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectra confirmed the formation of nanoparticles and FT-IR spectra evidenced the presence of biomolecules on the surface of nanoparticles. Powder XRD analysis proved that the synthesized nanoparticle was cuprous oxide (Cu2O) when aqueous extract of immature Cocos nucifera was used as the biomaterial whereas cupric oxide or copper oxide (CuO) was formed when aqueous peel extract of Punica granatum was used. The size of the Cu2O nanoparticles was 53 nm and that of CuO nanoparticles was 24 nm. The morphology of the nanoparticles surface was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Further, the formation of CuO/Cu2O nanoparticles was confirmed by EDX analysis which gave the additional evidence for the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles.