Facile green fabrication of ZnO nanopowders: Their antibacterial, antifungal and photoluminescent properties

Green synthesis of multifunctional Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by low temperature solution combustion route employing mimosa pudica leaves extract as fuel. The obtained ZnO NPs were characterized by PXRD, FTIR, and UV-Visible spectroscopic studies. The Morphologies were studied by SEM. The NPs were subjected for photoluminescence, antibacterial and antifungal activity studies. PXRD pattern confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the product. The particle size was calculated by means of PXRD profile and it was found to be in the range of 10-15nm. SEM images indicated the formation of various shaped ZnO NPs. The NPs exhibited prominent green emission due to the presence of intrinsic defect centers. The antibacterial studies indicated that ZnO NPs of concentration 500, 750 and 1000 µg resulted in significant antibacterial activity on E. coli, B. subtilis and Pseudomonas aureguinosa in agar well diffusion method. Also the ZnO NPs of concentration 500, 750 and 1000 µg showed good antifungal activity on A. flavus and F. oxyporum but not in A. niger. The current investigation demonstrated green engineering method for the synthesis of multifunctional ZnO NPs with interesting morphologies, antibacterial and antifungal activities using mimosa pudica leaves extract