A Facile Green Reduction for Graphene-Silver Nanocomposite Using Betel Leaf Extract for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Water Pollutants

摘要

Green leaves are utilized in the green synthesis of various nanomaterials as these are rich sources of various biomolecules useful to control the growth of nanoparticles and as reducing agents. In this report, the in situ synthesis of a nanocomposite of silver decorated on reduced graphene oxide sheets using betel leaf extract as stabilizing and reducing agent is presented. The formation of nanocomposite is confirmed by Ultraviolet- Visible, Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The X-Ray Diffraction results revealed the Face Centered Cubic structure of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with a particle size of 28 nm. The sheet structure of reduced graphene oxide and uniformly distributed Ag NPs on these sheets is confirmed by High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope analysis. The obtained nanocomposite exhibited good photocatalytic efficiency (95% in 2 h) against a model pollutant, methylene blue in sun light.