Electrochemical Activity of TiO2 Nanoparticles in NaOH Electrolyte via Green Synthesis Using Calotropis gigantea Plant Leaf Extract

Abstract

Objectives: Green synthesis of Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles using Calotropis gigantea (CG) plant leaf extract. Methods: Environmental ecofriendly green approach is used to synthesize nanostructured TiO2 nanoparticles by using TiCl4 as a precursor and C. gigantea plant leaf extract as a catalyst. The secondary metabolites in the CG plant leaf extract help to transform the Ti4+ ions to TiO2 nanoparticles. The detailed structural properties are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The phase formation and chemical state of the prepared samples are examined by Raman and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The vibrational frequencies between the bonds of atoms are studied with Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR). The electrochemical properties of green synthesized nanoparticles using cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique in aqueous electrolyte. Findings: XRD data conform to the tetragonal structure of TiO2 in the rutile phase with P42/mnm space group and crystallite size is also found to be 9.84 nm. The SEM and TEM images show that the non-uniform spherical and flowerlike shape of grains with an average grains size of 100 nm. The specific capacitance of the sample is estimated to be 238 F g-1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s-1 with good reversibility. Novelty: The novelty of this research lies in the fabrication of the electrode material with TiO2 3D nanostructures for supercapacitor applications. This kind of morphology certainly enhances the surface area and leads to achieving better electrochemical performance. Keywords: Titanium tetra chloride; TiO 2 nanoparticles; Green synthesis; Calotropis gigantea (CG) Plant; 3D nanostructure; specific capacitance