Eco-friendly Production of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles via Morinda citrifolia for Solar-driven Photocatalytic Decomposition of Malachite Green Dye

The manufacture of metal oxide nanoparticles using extracts from medicinal plants offers a viable and environmentally responsible substitute for conventional chemical methods. This work aims to utilize the leaf extract of the medicinal plant Morinda citrifolia (Noni) to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles in an eco-friendly manner. The zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained through biosynthesis underwent characterization using various analytical techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, and UV spectroscopy. Moreover, this investigation included an assessment of the photoluminescent activity of the synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles under varying excitation wavelengths. The observed emission in the visible region finds significant applications in opto-electronic devices, particularly for display purposes. Sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation efficiency exceeding 90% was achieved within a 60-minute timeframe under sunlight irradiation.