SYNTHESIS OF CdO NANOPARTICLES, Ag-CdCO3, Ag-CdO and CdO-CdS NANOCOMPOSITES FOR NOVEL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The present study deals with the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles and nanocomposites and their applications. In the present study, CdO nanoparticles were synthesized via homogeneous precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, TGA, FT-IR, DRS, and FESEM. FESEM images of the synthesized CdO nanoparticles show cubic like morphology. CdO nanoparticles show photo-degradation of congo red. Nanocomposites have intriguing physicochemical properties in comparison with their constituents, making them potentially useful in a variety of fields such as biomedicine, photocatalysis, sensors, and optoelectronics. Although there are many chemical and physical methods for the synthesis of nanocomposites, simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly methods are often explored. In the present study, Ag-CdCO3 nanocomposites were synthesized using a novel approach. First, CdCO3 particles with cubic morphology were synthesized by homogeneous precipitation method, starting from cadmium salts and urea. Then, the CdCO3 particles were surface modified using ammonium oxalate. The surface modification of CdCO3 was confirmed using FT-IR and TG analysis. Ag nanoparticles were then deposited on CdCO3 cubes using an electroless deposition method using AgNO3 and aqueous HCHO to obtain Ag-CdCO3 nanocomposites. The Ag-CdCO3 nanocomposite was then calcined at 500 °C to form the Ag-CdO nanocomposite. The Ag-CdCO3 and Ag-CdO nanocomposites were characterized using XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, DRS, etc. The characterization results indicate successful formation of Ag-CdCO3 and Ag-CdO nanocomposites. Ag-CdCO3 nanoparticles possess better antibacterial activity at 100 μg/mL of concentration against GFP E. coli and show 35 mm of zone of inhibition. Ag-CdCO3 and Ag-CdO exhibit good antibacterial activity and can be used for further application in reducing bacterial infection. Reduction of 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol by Ag-CdCO3 nanoparticles was also done. The Ag-CdCO3 nanocomposite takes only 10 minutes to reduce 4-nitophenol.