Recent Developments in the Plant-Mediated Green Synthesis of Ag-Based Nanoparticles for Environmental and Catalytic Applications

Among different metallic nanoparticles, sliver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are one of the most essential and fascinating nanomaterials. Importantly, among the metal based nanoparticles, Ag NPs play a key role in various fields such as biomedicine, biosensors, catalysis, pharmaceuticals, nanoscience and nanotechnology, particularly in nanomedicine. A main concern about the chemical synthesis of Ag NPs is the production of hazardous chemicals and toxic wastes. To overcome this problem, many research studies have been carried out on the green synthesis of Ag NPs using green sources such as plant extracts, microorganisms and some biopolymers without formation of hazardous wastes. Among green sources, plants could be remarkably valuable to exploring the biosynthesis of Ag NPs. In this review, the green synthesis of Ag-based nanocatalysts such as Ag NPs, AgPd NPs, Au-Ag NPs, Ag/AgPd NPs, Ag/Cu NPs, Ag@AgCl NPs, Au-Ag@AgCl nanocomposite, Ag-Cr-AC nanocomposite and Ag NPs immobilized on various supports such as Natrolite zeolite, bone, ZnO, seashell, hazelnut shell, almond shell, SnO2, perlite, ZrO2, TiO2, alpha-Al2O3, CeO2, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), h-Fe2O3@SiO2, and Fe3O4 using numerous plant extracts as reducing and stabilizing agents in the absence of hazardous surfactant and capping agents has been focused. This work describes the state of the art and future challenges in the biosynthesis of Ag-based nanocatalysts. The fact about the application of living plants in metal nanoparticle (MNPs) industry is that it is a more economical and efficient biosynthesis biosynthetic procedure. In addition, the catalytic activities of the synthesized, Ag-based recyclable nanocatalysts using various plant extracts in several chemical reactions such as oxidation, reduction, coupling, cycloaddition, cyanation, epoxidation, hydration, degradation and hydrogenation reactions have bben extensively discussed.