Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND ITS APPLICATION FOR REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND ENERGY CONSERVATION IN DIESEL ENGINES

C. Chinnasamy and P. Tamilselvam

Abstract

An eco-friendly, low cost approach is reported for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Stable AgNPs formed with a treatment of an aqueous silver nitrate solution using Costus Igneus leaf extract as reducing and capping agent. The synthesized AgNPs are characterized using X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The particles obtained are spherical in nature and are agglomerates of nanocrystallite. The working attributes of single cylinder diesel engine was investigated by dosing AgNPs in the mass fractions of 25, 50 and 75 ppm in biodiesel blend. The results exhibited 2.87% of improvement in brake thermal efficiency and reduction in fuel consumption. The emissions such as CO, HC, NOx and smoke opacity were curtailed by the action of nano catalyst. Therefore, the synthesized silver nanoparticles can be effectively used as fuel additive for energy conservation and pollution reduction.