Zinc oxide nanoparticles as an efficient antioxidant, photocatalyst, and heterogeneous catalyst in C–P bond synthesis

Abstract

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using the chemical precipitation technique and characterized through various analytical methods. Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) results confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite phase of the NPs. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) results showed the presence of characteristic vibrations of ZnO, such as the zinc–oxygen stretching band and the hydroxyl group. UV–Vis spectra established a band gap of 3.2 eV. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) identified the elemental composition of the NPs as primarily zinc and oxygen. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images indicated a distinctive cauliflower-like morphology with an average size of 50 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) provided further insights into the NPs excellent crystalline structure and smooth surface. This study has also evaluated the photocatalytic and antioxidant activities of the ZnO-NPs. The NPs has a good photocatalytic activity for the degradation of textile crystal violet dye. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the NPs was assessed through the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, revealing promising in vitro results. These findings emphasize the multifaceted attributes of ZnO-NPs, making them valuable for a broad spectrum of applications, from catalysis and environmental cleanup to cutting-edge nanotechnology and biomedicine.

Keywords

• Free radical scavenging activity
• Heterogenous catalyst
• α-Hydroxyphosphonates
• Photocatalysis
• ZnO-NPs