Study on synthesizing silver nanoparticles by using Muntingia calabura leaf extract: Insights from experimental and theoretical studies

Abstract

In this paper, a novel approach for green chemistry was employed for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf extracts of Muntingia calabura (M. calabura). Characterization of AgNPs such as the shape, size, morphology, and stability was made using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed a surface plasmon band around 427 nm when analyzed via UV-Vis spectroscopy, indicated the silver particles of nano dimensions. The TEM study revealed that spherical shapes sizing from 6 to 16 nm with the average size was 11±5 nm were observed for the obtained sample. The density functional theory (DFT) studies reveal that the quercetin (one of the flavonoids presented in M. calabura) is responsible for behaving as a reducing agent for the reduction of Ag⁺ ion into Ag⁻ under different physicochemical conditions.