Green mediated sol-gel synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticle: An efficient candidate for waste water treatment and antibacterial agent

The synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles gained considerable attraction in various fields such as biomedical, catalysis, and water purification. The current study report a simple and cost-effective green based sol-gel auto combustion method for the preparation of copper oxide nano catalyst. Lemon juice enriched with various phytochemicals has been found to be, an ideal medium for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles. The decomposition of the metal-citrate-nitrate gel and formation of copper oxide nanoparticles were evaluated by the aid of TG, DTG and DTA analysis. XRD, FTIR and UV analysis confirmed the formation of copper oxide in the nano range. The surface morphology and surface features of the synthesized material were also assessed by using SEM, EDAX, TEM, XPS and BET characterization techniques. The synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles found to exhibit acceptable antibacterial efficacy against E.coli and B.subtilis. The antibacterial nature of the nanomaterial make them more suitable for biomedical applications. The catalytic activity of copper oxide nanoparticles was evaluated by performing the reduction of p-nitrophenol and degradation of rhodamine B with the assistance of NaBH₄. This method provides a simple, highly economic and environmentally benign route for the synthesis of efficient copper oxide nanoparticle and overcome all the demerits of colloidal synthesis.