On the use of Tequila for the biosynthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles

The aim of this work is the synthesis of SiO 2 nanoparticles starting from Tequila as green chemistry, which implies something novel. Tequila was used as a capping, a reducer, a surfactant and stabilizer from a solution of silicon tetraacetate, deionized water, acetone, and sodium hydroxide. The structure, optical absorption, and morphological analysis of these nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–Visible spectrophotometer, and TEM. The XRD analysis indicated an amorphous phase of SiO 2 nanoparticles; the size of the synthesized nanoparticle is about 20 ± 30 nm and optical absorption analysis indicated a peak in the 260 nm range. More than 175 constituents were found in Tequila and the most common constituents were 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol. These higher alcohols are a good disperser and they could not only increase the number of nucleation sites but also reduce the rate of grain growth. A green and cost-effective method for the synthesis of SiO 2 NPs using Tequila which focused on the utilization of a novel and original way, was demonstrated. Graphical abstract