Chromium (III) Oxide Nanostructures Synthesized from Vernonia Amygdalina Leaves Extract

Abstract

This contribution reports first time synthesis of Cr2O3 nanostructures from chromium (III) chloride hexahydrate precursor using Vernonia amygdalina leaves extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to study the structural and morphological properties of the as-synthesized Cr2O3 nanostructures. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns spectral analysis showed that hexagonal Cr2O3 nanostructures with an average crystallite size of 23.4 nm were synthesized with the minor appearance of CrO2. SEM images showed that the synthesized nanomaterials are granules. Fourier-transform infrared spectra represent a sharp absorption band at 552 cm-1, which indicates Cr-O-Cr vibrational and stretching modes.