Spinel ZnCr2O4 nanorods synthesized by facile sol-gel auto combustion method with biomedical properties

Suresh Ghotekar; Shreyas Pansambal; Van-Huy Nguyen; Sachin Bangale; Kun-Yi Andrew Lin; H C Ananda Murthy; Rajeshwari Oza

doi:10.1007/s10971-022-05964-0

Spinel ZnCr₂O₄ nanorods synthesized by facile sol-gel auto combustion method with biomedical properties

J Solgel Sci Technol. 2023;105(1):176-185. doi: 10.1007/s10971-022-05964-0. Epub 2022 Nov 2.

Authors

Suresh Ghotekar^{1

2}, Shreyas Pansambal³, Van-Huy Nguyen⁴, Sachin Bangale⁵, Kun-Yi Andrew Lin⁶, H C Ananda Murthy⁷, Rajeshwari Oza¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, S.N. Arts, D.J.M. Commerce and B.N.S. Science College, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Sangamner, Maharashtra 422 605 India.
² Department of Chemistry, Smt. Devkiba Mohansinhji Chauhan College of Commerce and Science, University of Mumbai, Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli (UT) 396 230 India.
³ Department of Chemistry, Shri Saibaba College, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Shirdi, Maharashtra 423 109 India.
⁴ Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Kanchipuram district, Kelambakkam, Tamil Nadu 603103 India.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, G.M. Vedak College of Science, University of Mumbai, Tala, Maharashtra 402 111 India.
⁶ Department of Environmental Engineering & Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Applied Natural Sciences, Adama Science and Technology University, P.O. Box: 1888 Adama, Ethiopia.

Abstract

In this study, spinel zinc chromite nanorods (ZnCr₂O₄ NRs) were successfully manipulated by a simple sol-gel auto combustion process employing urea as fuel. The sample was only required to sinter at 500 °C for 2 h to obtain the single crystalline phase. The phase formation, crystallinity, and surface topography of synthesized ZnCr₂O₄ NRs were explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis reflectance spectroscopy (UVDRS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD analysis confirms the formation of spinel ZnCr₂O₄ NRs. The FTIR spectrum displays the two vibrational peaks of Cr-O, and Zn-O at 489 and 615 cm^-1, correspondingly. These vibrational bonds were correlated with ZnCr₂O₄ and revealed the production of cubic spinel ZnCr₂O₄ NRs. FESEM indicates the presence of hexagonal-rod-shaped particles. EDX spectrum demonstrates the elemental composition of the ZnCr₂O₄ NRs and confirms the primary peak of Zn, Cr, and O. The obtained ZnCr₂O₄ NRs exhibit an antiferromagnetic behavior. The bandgap energy of ZnCr₂O₄ NRs was ascertained and was shown to be 3.45 eV. Furthermore, the antifungal and antibacterial effect of ZnCr₂O₄ NRs was examined against pathogenic strains by disc diffusion technique. Besides these, the antimalarial activity of ZnCr₂O₄ NRs was studied against Plasmodium falciparum. Thus, the as-synthesized ZnCr₂O₄ NRs showed significant antibacterial, antifungal and antimalarial activity and may be helpful for research opening a novel horizon in nanomedicine. Graphical abstract.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Antifungal activity; Antimalarial activity; Structural properties; ZnCr2O4 NRs.

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