Bio-Inspired Synthesis, Structural Analysis, and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Silver-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Glycosmis pentaphylla Extract

Doped ZnO nanoparticles are innovative materials widely used for their structural and optical properties, with promising applications in antibacterial activity. Metal dopants are particularly effective in enhancing antimicrobial capabilities. This work focuses on a simple co-precipitation method for synthesizing ZnO and 5% silver-doped ZnO (Ag/ZnO) nanoparticles, accompanied by an investigation of their antibacterial properties. Comprehensive characterization of the synthesized nanomaterials was conducted using Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).The UV–Vis analysis demonstrated that silver doping leads to a reduction in the ZnO band gap. XRD analysis confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of Ag/ZnO with an average particle size of approximately 21 nm. The porous morphology of the nanomaterials was observed in FE-SEM imaging, while EDS analysis verified the elemental composition. A kinetic study indicated that the system follows pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The reusability of Ag/ZnO was also evaluated, demonstrating excellent stability across multiple cycles.Antibacterial and antifungal evaluations highlighted the significant enhancement in antimicrobial activity resulting from silver doping. This study underscores the potential of Ag/ZnO nanoparticles as a robust material for antimicrobial applications.