Abstract
The aim of the present study is to synthesize silver nanoparticles, using an aqueous floral extract of common Lotus, i.e Nelumbo nucifera. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV, TEM, EDX, AFM & XRD. The synthesized AgNPs were confirmed due to the colour change from colourless to reddish brown just after the addition of the aqueous floral extract of Nelumbo nucifera. The UV results of AgNPs showed the excitation of surface Plasmon resonance band at 427 nm. TEM results showed that the synthesized AgNPs were uniformed; monodispersed,spherical in shape and the particle size were found to be 77.81 ± 3.54 nm. EDX spectrum of AgNPs confirms strong signals from Ag (64%) and other elements such as C, O and Cl. The morphology of the synthesized AgNPs by AFM analysis resembled the TEM micrograph. The crystalline nature of the AgNPs was confirmed by XRD. The present study concludes that the aqueous floral extract of Nelumbo nucifera could be used as an effective reducing agent for the synthesis of AgNP. The green synthesis ofsilver nanoparticles is non-toxic and cost-effective and thus remains to be an alternative method to other physical and chemical reduction methods.