Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh

Antibacterial Activity of Green Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles Using Lawsonia inermis and Gardenia jasminoides Leaves Extract

Recently, development of reliable experimental protocols for synthesis of metal nanoparticles with desired morphologies and sizes has become a major focus of researchers. Green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has accumulated an ultimate interest over the last decade due to their distinctive properties that make them applicable in various fields of science and technology. Metal nanoparticles that are synthesized by using plants have emerged as nontoxic and ecofriendly. In this study a very cheap and simple conventional heating method was used to obtain the iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) using the leaves extract of Lawsonia inermis and Gardenia jasminoides plant. The iron nanoparticles were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial activity was studied against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus aureus by using well-diffusion method.

Micelle-Assisted Synthesis of Al2O3·CaO Nanocatalyst: Optical Properties and Their Applications in Photodegradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol

Calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles are known to exhibit unique property due to their high adsorption capacity and good catalytic activity. In this work the CaO nanocatalysts were prepared by hydrothermal method using anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), as a templating agent. The as-synthesized nanocatalysts were further used as substrate for the synthesis of alumina doped calcium oxide (Al2O3 ·CaO) nanocatalysts via deposition-precipitation method at the isoelectric point of CaO. The Al2O3 ·CaO nanocatalysts were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, TEM, and FESEM techniques. The catalytic efficiencies of these nanocatalysts were studied for the photodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (2,4,6-TNP), which is an industrial pollutant, spectrophotometrically. The effect of surfactant and temperature on size of nanocatalysts was also studied. The smallest particle size and highest percentage of degradation were observed at critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. The direct optical band gap of the Al2O3 ·CaO nanocatalyst was found as 3.3 eV.

Effect of sulfurization time on the properties of copper zinc tin sulfide thin films grown by electrochemical deposition.

We report growth of quaternary Cu2 ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films prepared by the electrochemical deposition from salt precursors containing Cu (II), Zn (II) and Sn (IV) metals. The influence of different sulfurization times t (t = 75, 90, 105, and 120 min) on the structural, compositional, morphological, and optical properties, as well as on the electrical properties is studied. The films sulfurized 2 hours showed a prominent kesterite phase with a nearly stoichiometric composition. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Raman and UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer at different stages of work. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed the formation of phase-pure CZTS films. (FESEM) shows that compact and dense morphology and enhanced photo-sensitivity. STEM - EDS elemental map of CZTS cross-section confirms homogeneous distribution. From optical study, energy gap was enlarged with a changed sulfurization times in the range of 1.37–1.47 eV.

Solvent controlled synthesis of CaO-MgO nanocomposites and their application in the photodegradation of organic pollutants of industrial waste

Conventional heating method and hydrothermal method were used for the synthesis of CaO nanoparticles and CaO/MgO nanocomposites under solvent control conditions. Ca(NO3)2 and Mg(NO3)2 were used as precursors, amyl alcohol as surface directing agent and NaOH as source of OH−. Different samples of CaO were prepared by conventional heating method in order to investigate the effect of calcination temperature and stirring time. Similarly two different kinds of sets of CaO as well as of CaO/MgO were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions for the investigation of effect of solvent and temperature on catalytic efficiency. Characterizations of these samples were carried out by Powder X-ray Diffractions (XRD), Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The synthesized samples of CaO and CaO/MgO were used to degrade methylene blue under UV-Visible conditions, which is an organic pollutant of waste from industries and causing serious health problems. First order data for degradation for methylene blue at λmax = 665 nm was used to quantify the degradation. Effect of solvent was found to be prominent in all samples. Similarly effect of temperature variation was also pronounced on catalytic efficiency as indicated by value of k.

Photodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol catalyzed by Zn/MgO nanoparticles prepared in aqueous-organic medium

Synthesis of Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles and zinc deposited magnesium oxide (Zn/MgO) nanoparticles was carried out using hydrothermal and deposition-precipitation method with the variation of 1-Propanol (organic solvent) concentration, sodium hydroxide and urea concentration. The nanoparticles were characterized by using FTIR, TGA, SEM-EDX, TEM and XRD. The photocatalytic efficiency of MgO and Zn/MgO nanoparticles was studied by degradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), which is highly acute and toxic and causes skin and eyes diseases, liver malfunction and tumor formation. Photodegradation of TNP was carried out under UV irradiation and confirmed by using HPLC and GC-MS. MgO and Zn/MgO nanoparticles that were synthesized by using urea showed higher first-order rate constant (k) value and percentage degradation as compared to nanoparticles that were synthesized using NaOH. It was observed that the concentration of solvent has direct relation with the k value of degradation of TNP.

Development of Latent Fingermarks on Various Surfaces Using ZnO-SiO2 Nanopowder†

Fingermarks are one of the most useful forms of evidence in identification and can provide generalized proof of identity in crime investigation. They are developed using various conventional powders. The novel nanopowder ZnO‐SiO2 was synthesized via the conventional heating method and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The mean particle size of ZnO‐SiO2 nanopowder calculated through TEM was 32.9 nm. The development of fingermarks was carried out by powder dusting and small particle reagent (SPR) methods. Powder dusting method was used for the development of latent fingermarks on various dry, nonporous, and semi‐porous surfaces. The SPR method was also applied to wet nonporous surface. The developed latent fingermarks using ZnO‐SiO2 nanopowder were found to have excellent quality with very clear third‐level ridges detail and had better visibility than commercially available white powder.

Synthesis, structural properties and catalytic activity of MgO-SnO 2 nanocatalysts

Surfactant controlled synthesis of magnesium oxide-tin oxide (MgO-SnO2) nanocatalysts was carried out via the hydrothermal method. Concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was varied while all other reaction conditions were kept constant same for this purpose. Furthermore, MgO-SnO2 nanocatalysts were also prepared by changing the precursor’s concentration. These precursors are magnesium nitrate Mg(NO3)2 · 6H2O and tin chloride (SnCl4 · 5H2O). The influence of these reaction parameters on the sizes and morphology of the nanocatalysts were studied by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy and Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic efficiency of MgO-SnO2 was checked against 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH), which is an explosive compound. The nanocatalysts were found as a good catalyst to degrade the DNPH. Catalytic activity of nanocatalysts was observed up to 19.13% for the degradation DNPH by using UV-spectrophotometer.

Preparation and characterization of zinc oxide nanoflakes using anodization method and their photodegradation activity on methylene blue

In this work, we report the formation of leaf-like ZnO nanoflakes by anodization of zinc foil in a mixture of ammonium sulfate and sodium hydroxide electrolytes under various applied voltage and concentration of sodium hydroxide. The morphology and structure of ZnO nanoflakes were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the prepared nanoflakes zinc oxide was evaluated in the photodegradation of organic dye methylene blue (MB) solution under UV irradiation. It was found that zinc oxide prepared under high concentration of sodium hydroxide and high voltage showed better performance in the photodegradation of methylene blue.

Solvent Controlled Synthesis of Tin Oxide Nanocatalysts and their Applications in Photodegradation of Environmental Hazardous Materials

Solvent controlled synthesis of tin oxide nanocatalysts were prepared via the hydrothermal method. To study the effect of solvent on the particle size of tin oxide and their catalytic efficiency on photodegradation of environmental hazardous materials, the synthesis was carried out at different concentrations of solvent (isoamyl alcohol) keeping all other reaction conditions constant. The nanoparticles were characterized by FourierTransmission Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and Thermogravimetric analysis. Prepared nanoparticles were applied as nanocatalyst under UV-visible light for the photodegradation of methyl green,which is an abundant organic pollutant of industrial waste water. Photodegradation activities of the nanocatalysts were measured in three different ways, i. pseudo first order rate constant, “k”. ii. percentage degradationand iii. degradation rate. Effect of solvent was quantitatively explained in term of double sphere model of ion-ion interaction. Degradation of pollutants was also monitored by High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

N-Ethyl-4-methyl-N-(3-methyl-phen-yl)benzene-sulfonamide.

The title compound, C16H19NO2S, crystallizes with two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit in which the dihedral angles between the planes defined by the aromatic rings are 35.3 (2) and 42.5 (2)°. In the crystal, intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds stabilize the packing.