Comparative Forensic Profile of Varied Concentration Effects on Green Synthesized Iron Nanoparticles

This study explores the green synthesis of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) using lime extract as a natural reducing agent, with variations in precursor concentrations (0.1M and 0.5M FeCl3·6H2O) to examine their impact on nanoparticle characteristics. The FeNPs were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultra violet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), revealing significant differences in morphology, size, composition, and crystallinity. At 0.1M, FeNPs were smaller and more uniformly dispersed, while at 0.5M, they exhibited increased aggregation and larger particle sizes, with TEM confirming sizes between 17.4 nm and 45.8 nm. EDS confirmed iron as the dominant element, with Fe content at 79.66% for 0.1M and 89.87% for 0.5M, while oxygen composition varied at 20.34% and 10.13% respectively, indicating differences in oxidation states. The UV-Vis spectrum peaked at 350 nm, confirming successful nanoparticle formation. XRD analysis identified prominent iron (Fe) peaks at (111), (200), (220), (311), (222), (331), (420), and (422), with the most noticeable peak occurring at (200), exhibiting higher intensity and sharper diffraction at 0.5M, suggesting improved crystallinity. AFM showed the surface morphology, indicating the height variations ranging from approximately –o.1nm to 1.09nm, suggesting nanoscale surface features within a 40-100nm scan area. With SEM, magnification of 7000x, 8000x, and 9000x reveal spherical morphology with varying particle sizes. These findings emphasize the influence of precursor concentration on FeNP properties, providing valuable insights for optimizing synthesis in forensic and environmental applications.