Green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles produced using Arbutus Unedo leaf extract

Metallic nanoparticles have received great attention from chemists, physicists, biologists and engineers who wish to use them for the development of a new generation of nanodevices. In the present study silver nanoparticles were synthesized from aqueous silver nitrate through a simple and eco-friendly route using leaf broth of Arbutus unedo, which acted as a reductant and stabilizer simultaneously. The aqueous silver ions when exposed to the leaf broth were reduced and stabilized over long periods of time resulting in the green synthesis of surface functionalized silver nanoparticles. The bio-reduced silver nanoparticles were appropriately characterized. The results revealed the formation of single crystalline Ag nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution for each sample. The particles, although discrete, were predominately coated with the organic leaf extract forming small aggregates, which makes them stable over long time periods and highly appropriate for coatings or biotechnology applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.