Biogenic Fabrication of ZnO‐Ag Nanocomposites Using Chia Seed Extract for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dyes in Wastewater

The rising leakage of synthetic dyes into water bodies has increased the demand for effective and eco‐friendly remedial technology. In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO), silver (Ag), and ZnO‐Ag nanocomposites were produced by traditional chemical and green synthesis procedures employing Salvia hispanica L. (chia seed) extract as a natural reducing and capping agent. UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, GC–MS, XRD, DLS, zeta potential, and SEM–EDX analysis confirmed the effective development of crystalline nanostructures of the produced nanoparticles. The biogenic nanomaterials showed lower particle size, better dispersion, and less aggregation than chemically synthesized nanomaterials. The photocatalytic activity of individual ZnO, Ag, and ZnO‐Ag nanocomposites was tested for the degradation of Congo Red and Methylene Blue under UV and visible irradiation. The green ZnO‐Ag nanocomposites exhibited the best photocatalytic effectiveness among all synthesized materials, with degradation efficiencies of 97.75% and 95.89% for Congo Red and Methylene Blue, respectively, within 60 min. The enhancement in performance was due to the synergistic interaction between ZnO and Ag, better charge separation, and the good shape of the biogenic nanocomposites. The degradation followed pseudo‐first‐order kinetics with the greatest rate constant value of 0.06235 min −1 . These results indicate that the chia seed‐based green synthesis is an eco‐friendly route for producing efficient ZnO‐Ag nanocomposites with great promise for photocatalytic wastewater treatment.