PONE-D-22-02832Green Synthesis of SiO2 Nanoparticles from Rhus Coriaria L. Extract: Comparison with Chemically synthesized SiO2 NanoparticlesPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Ahmed,

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Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: In this manuscript, the authors reported that green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles from rhus coriaria l. extract: comparison with chemically synthesized SiO2 nanoparticles. The authors claimed that the overall results revealed that the green synthesis of SiO2 NPs outperforms chemically synthesized SiO2 NPs. This is expected since the green synthesis method provides higher stability, enhanced thermal properties, and high surface area through the available phytochemicals in the Rhus Coriaria L. extract. Although the approach is interesting, the present paper contains several weak points, originating from the fact that the lack of novelty and poor broader impact. In fact, the authors should emphasize on their research novelty compared to other’s work for their green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles from rhus coriaria l. extract. The recent literature review on green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles from rhus coriaria l. extract or derived from other green resources in term of their physical and chemical properties should be summarized in a table as benchmarking purpose and discussed in detail with your research findings. In my opinion, technical significance and novelty of the work is still lacking. Furthermore, the details studies on reflux conditions such as reaction time and pH value for green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles should be determined and reported. The detailed HRETM and XPS analysis can be included to further explain their lattice fridge, chemical state and electronic state of the elements that exist within green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles. In addition, the authors are suggested to conduct the PL/EIS spectroscopy analysis to provide information such as charge carrier trapping, immigration, and transfer within the green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles and chemically synthesized SiO2 nanoparticles. In this case the potential application for those green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles and chemically synthesized SiO2 nanoparticles can be expected and further determined. The English language of this manuscript is suggested to be carefully polished. There are many grammatical errors within manuscript In my opinion, the manuscript contains few experimental results is at a moderate scientific level, rendering this in its present form inappropriate for publication in PLOS ONE.

Reviewer #2: The authors have reported the results of Green Synthesis of SiO2 Nanoparticles from Rhus Coriaria L. Extract. The manuscript may be accepted after addressing the following queries.

1. There is no need of such basic information like Figure 1 and 2 to be given in introduction.

2. The authors claims the plant extract acting as reducing agent but it is not really acting as reducing agent, beacuse there is no reduction of metal precursor?

3. The mechanism may be proposed and authors may take help from the following papers and their citations should be given in manuscript

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jccs.202100548

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24701556.2021.1978491

4. Conclusion part should be more quantitative, the results should be compared between green synthesis and chemical synthesis comparing XRD pattern, morphology and size etc.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh

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Green Synthesis of SiO2 Nanoparticles from Rhus Coriaria L. Extract: Comparison with Chemically synthesized SiO2 Nanoparticles

PONE-D-22-02832R1

Dear Dr. Mohammed,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Amitava Mukherjee, ME, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: N/A

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4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: In overall, this manuscript was technically well revised. This revised manuscript meets the criteria of PLOS ONE. Therefore, in my opinion, the revised manuscript can be accepted for publication.

Reviewer #2: The authors have revised the manuscript entitled Green Synthesis of SiO2 Nanoparticles from Rhus Coriaria L. Extract: Comparison with Chemically synthesized SiO2 Nanoparticles and may be accepted.

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy.

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh