Synthesis and Characterization of Tri-metallic Nanoparticles (Fe-Cu-Zn) as Potential Nano-catalyzers

Metallic nanoparticles have drawn attention during the last years within different sectors due to their extraordinary properties, such as, ease of production and functionalization, high stability, great optical and mechanic properties, excellent biological activities, among others. Specifically, multi-metallic nanoparticles have demonstrated to have superior performance than mono-metallic nanoparticles, which make them and ideal item to build novel strategies with potential applications. So, the main objective of this work was to develop mono-metallic and tri-metallic nanoparticles (Zn, Cu, Fe) by a green sequential synthesis method mediated by natural extracts of Curcuma longa. In addition, the evaluation of how the physicochemical properties of developed nanoparticles could change according to precursors, and experimental conditions, and to assess their ability to be used as catalysis agents for water treatment. Results showed that spherical and semi-spherical particles were obtained. It was observed that tri-metallic nanoparticles were larger than mono-metallic nanoparticles (32.55 ± 16.27 nm, versus 2.57 ± 1.16 nm, 4.50 ± 3.49 nm, 10.18 ± 6.69 nm, for ZnNPs, CuNPs, FeNPs, respectively). XRD showed that the trimetallic material is made of an amorphous phase like the one from FeNPs as well as some crystalline phases like the ones obtained from Cu and ZnNPs which suggest that the new material composition presents Zn, Cu and Fe.