Enhancement of antibacterial, photocatalytic, and electrical performances of bio synthesized Ag incorporated ZnO nanocomposites using Diplazium esculentum leaf extract

This study presents a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and fast method for synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and ZnO/Ag nanocomposites (NCs) using Diplazium esculentum (DE) extract for the first time. Antibacterial activities of synthesized nanomaterials have been evaluated, where both NPs and NCs demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity was investigated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light irradiation, and both NPs and NCs revealed excellent photocatalytic properties by the dye degradation rate of 0.0123 min −1 and 0.0102 min −1 , respectively. In addition, the impact of ZnO NPs and ZnO/Ag NCs on electricity generation was investigated by the power monitoring of bio-electrochemical cells (BECs). The NPs and NCs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV–vis spectrophotometry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A hexagonal-wurtzite phase for ZnO NPs, while ZnO/Ag NCs displayed additional planes due to Ag NPs in the cubic phase. FESEM images showed ZnO NPs with spheroidal and hexagonal shapes (∼26.18 nm), whereas ZnO/Ag NCs were quasi-spherical (∼16.03 nm). FTIR spectra revealed biomolecules essential for stabilizing the green-synthesized NPs and NCs. This comparative study of Diplazium esculentum mediated NPs and NCs highlights promising applications in wastewater treatment, electrical, and pharmaceutical fields. • ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO/Ag nanocomposites were synthesized via Diplazium esculentum extract • Average particle sizes were determined to be 26.18 nm and 16.03 nm respectively • Both nanostructures showed excellent antimicrobial activities against bacteria strains. • ZnO/Ag nanocomposite showed better photocatalytic properties than ZnO nanoparticles. • Both nanomaterials played a vital role to enhance the electrical properties of Bio-electrochemical cell.