Green Synthesis of Zinc Nanoparticles using Punica granatum Fruit Extract and their Structural and Optical Properties

R. Rajakumari^*1, ¹S. Kalaiarasi, ²L.Parimala
¹PG and Research Department of Physics, Queen Mary’s College (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
²Annai Violet College of Arts & Science, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

A B S T R A C T
The Zinc nanoparticles were prepared with the fruit extract of Punica granatum via green synthesis. Though physical and chemical methods are more popular for nanoparticle synthesis, the biogenic production is a better option due to eco-friendliness. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized sample were characterized by XRD, UV-absorption, Photoluminescence (PL) and FTIR analysis. XRD analysis put forward that the particles were crystalline in nature. The  UV- visible analysis showed band around 256.5 – 276 nm which was identified as “surface Plasmon resonance band” and this band is ascribed to excitation of valence electrons of Zn arranged in the nanoparticles (nanocrystal /nanosphere). The PL spectrum showed green emission of the synthesized sample. FTIR analysis identified the possible functional groups in biomolecules responsible for the reduction of Zn²⁺ and capping agent of bioreduced Zn nanoparticles through particular bond vibrations peaks coming at defined wave numbers.
Keywords: Green synthesis, Zn nanoparticles, Punica granatum