Plant extracts can drive the synthesis of metal-oxide nanoparticles under mild conditions, without toxic solvents. My research develops these green routes, characterises the resulting nanomaterials, and applies them in sustainable materials.
Leaf extracts (e.g. Punica granatum) act as reducing and capping agents, replacing harsh chemicals with phytochemistry — yielding clean, stable, size-controlled metal-oxide nanoparticles such as CuO.
The nanoparticles are incorporated into cold-pressed calcareous alkali-activated systems — a low-energy alternative to traditional binders — where nano-addition produces denser, stronger and more durable products.
Phytochemicals and green-synthesised nanoparticles carry antimicrobial and antioxidant potential — a promising direction for multifunctional materials.
Research translates into teaching: the interactive course laboratory accompanies these topics with hands-on experiments and self-assessment.
This study addresses two questions at once: how to synthesise nanoparticles without hazardous reagents, and how to strengthen low-energy construction materials.
The next experiments extend this work beyond the laboratory: durability testing under real exposure conditions, life-cycle assessment of the full production route, and scale-up from laboratory specimens toward pilot-scale components.
Collaboration is welcome in materials science, microbiology, analytical chemistry and education research.