Structural and optical properties of green synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles

Cr2O3 Nanopowders were synthesized via green chemistry using cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) plant extract. XRD revealed the formation of Eskolite pure Cr2O3 structure with an average crystal size of 28 nm. SEM showed well-defined and hexagonal nanoparticles with size ranging from 45 to 55 nm, range. EDS analysis confirmed the strong presence of Cr and O in the crystalline structure. FTIR confirmed the chemical composition and chemical state of the Cr2O3. The UV-Vis-NIR diffuse reflectance measurement shows strong absorption of incident light in the UV-Vis_NIR region with a bandgap 2.06 eV. Through these findings, the use of natural Cactus extracts is hereby shown to be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for preparing Cr2O3 nanopowder that can be used in a variety of applications. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.