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Article

Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Solar Panels Using Piper nigrum Fruit Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity

Department of Chemical Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Catalysts 2024, 14(8), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14080472
Submission received: 27 June 2024 / Revised: 17 July 2024 / Accepted: 20 July 2024 / Published: 24 July 2024

Abstract

To promote environmental development and sustain resource circularity, recycling metals from electronic waste is essential. Electronic waste is a significant secondary source of metals, with its production increasing rapidly and most remaining unrecycled. In solar panels, copper is the second-most-valuable metal after silver. We propose an innovative method to recycle copper from waste solar panels and convert it into copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) using a green synthesis method. Synthesizing CuONPs is advantageous due to their large surface area compared to bulk material. Nitric acid, a strong oxidizing agent, was used to leach copper from solid copper wires in waste solar panels. A green synthesis method, following a bottom-up approach, was employed using Piper nigrum fruit extract to synthesize CuONPs. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using various qualitative and quantitative techniques. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the formation of CuONPs, and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the nanoparticles were spherical with sizes up to 60 nm. Biomolecules from the Piper nigrum extract were detected on the surface of the crystalline CuONPs. These nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus using a well-diffusion method, showing a larger zone of inhibition for E. coli compared to S. aureus. This research demonstrates the complete recovery of copper from waste solar panels and its conversion into useful CuONPs, which have potential medicinal applications.
Keywords: waste solar panel; copper oxide nanoparticles; green synthesis; Piper nigrum fruit extract; antibacterial activity waste solar panel; copper oxide nanoparticles; green synthesis; Piper nigrum fruit extract; antibacterial activity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Shafiq, A.; Jeong, U.; Han, Y.; Kim, Y.; Lee, J.; Kim, B.S. Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Solar Panels Using Piper nigrum Fruit Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity. Catalysts 2024, 14, 472. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14080472

AMA Style

Shafiq A, Jeong U, Han Y, Kim Y, Lee J, Kim BS. Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Solar Panels Using Piper nigrum Fruit Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity. Catalysts. 2024; 14(8):472. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14080472

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shafiq, Ayesha, Ujin Jeong, Yunseon Han, Youngsik Kim, Joonmin Lee, and Beom Soo Kim. 2024. "Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Solar Panels Using Piper nigrum Fruit Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity" Catalysts 14, no. 8: 472. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14080472

APA Style

Shafiq, A., Jeong, U., Han, Y., Kim, Y., Lee, J., & Kim, B. S. (2024). Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Solar Panels Using Piper nigrum Fruit Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity. Catalysts, 14(8), 472. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14080472

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