Bio-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles from Aegle marmelos assisted by microwave method for enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial applications

Microwave-assisted green method was successfully used to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles in Nanoscale range by varying the Aegle marmelos leaf extract concentration. The existence of functional groups on the nanoparticle surface was confirmed by the FTIR spectra, which displayed distinctive vibrational modes. The nanoparticles size, shape, and surface features were discovered through morphological and structural research utilizing HRTEM, and SEM. The average particle size was found to be in the range of 18–28 nm. Under UV light irradiation, the ZnO NPs exhibited promising photocatalytic activity in the breakdown of methylene blue dye. The synthesized ZnO NPs are excellent in degrading dye to 80 % only in one hour. Furthermore, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains were effectively inhibited by the synthesized ZnO NPs' high antibacterial activity. Thus, characterization and promising photocatalytic and antibacterial properties point to the potential of these ZnO NPs for use in a range of environmental and biological applications.