Chemical Science International Journal

Caladium bicolor samples were collected, thoroughly washed, shade dried, cut into small pieces, oven-dried and ground. Distilled water was added to the ground C. bicolor samples and heated. It was then filtered after heating, and the filtrate stored. To 0.05M solution of FeCl₃ was added the extract and stirred. The solution was then filtered and the residue oven dried. This synthesized NP was characterized with Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Braunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The results from these analyses were characterised by attributes that indicated a successful synthesis of Caladium bicolor-incorporated Iron nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was also carried out on the Caladium bicolor extract and synthesized NPs. Some of the results include O-H stretching (3291.50 cm^-1) which is characteristic of alcohol functional group. Alkane is suspected due to C-H stretching at 2919.20 cm^-1 and alkene due to C=C stretching at 1628.11 cm^-1. Iron (III) chloride vibrations are suspected at 639.22 cm^-1 (Fe-Cl stretching). DSC shows exothermic peaks at 323.6°C and 335.5°C and endothermic peaks at 105.7°C and 251.3°C. These results confirmed the presence of iron NPs. The use of plant extracts to synthesize nanoparticles (NP) has become increasingly desirable due to its low cost and non-toxic nature. Caladium bicolor fits this role because of its cheapness and not a food source for man or animals. Iron nanoparticles were synthesized using iron (III) chloride and Caladium bicolor extract.