Biogenic synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Woodfordia fruticosa extract for enhanced antibacterial and photocatalytic performance

This work discusses the fabrication of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) by utilizing Woodfordia fruticosa leaf extract . This method is nature-friendly, economic, and sustainable compared to traditional methods which require more energy, advanced instruments and harmful chemicals. The synthesised material was characterised using High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) for inner structural determination, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) for studying surface profile, Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for finding elemental constituents, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for functional group determination, Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) for determining crystal structures, and UV-Vis spectroscopy for studying optical properties. PXRD patterns verified the formation of ZnO NPs with a hexagonal wurtzite (HW) structure with crystallite sizes between 7.42 and 19.14 nm. Spherical morphology was revealed by FESEM with little agglomeration. FTIR spectra showed the presence of functional groups from phytochemical indicating capping of the nanoparticles (NPs). The ZnO NPs showed strong antimicrobial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria like S. epidermidis , S. aureus , and B. subtilis , with zone of inhibition (ZOI) lying between 11 mm to 14 mm. ZnO NPs achieved 75% breakdown of methylene blue (MB) upon UV exposure within 3 h. This eco-friendly approach shows the possibility of using ZnO NPs in antibacterial and photocatalytic applications.