Journal Article

Assessing the magnetic, cytotoxic and photocatalytic influence of incorporating Yb3+ or Pr3+ ions in cobalt–nickel ferrite

Sobhani-Nasab, Ali, Ganjali, Mohammad Reza, Seyed Mahdi Peymani-Motlagh, Rostami, Mojtaba, Sobati, Hossein, Mahdi Fasihi-Ramandi, Eghbali-Arani, Mohammad, Rahimi-Nasrabadi, Mehdi

2019

Overview

Yb3+- and Pr3+-substituted cobalt–nickel ferrite nanoparticles were prepared through a sol–gel auto-combustion procedure and the effects on the cytotoxic, photocatalytic and magnetic characteristics of the resulting compounds were evaluated. As an initial step, the structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the produced particles were assessed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL), and vibrating sample magnetometery (VSM) techniques. The crystalline size and nanoparticles size of prepared nanostructures was in the range of 100–180 and 90–220 nm based on XRD and SEM results. Using the XRD results it was found that the product had a spinel cobalt–nickel ferrite phase structure, also containing some PrFeO3 and YbFeO3 phases as impurities. VSM results exhibited that Co0.5Ni0.5Pr0.1Fe1.9O4 has higher magnetic parameters than Co0.5Ni0.5Yb0.1Fe1.9O4, yet but the latter enjoys enhanced photocatalytic activity in degrading methyl orange (MO) under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Catalytic activity / Cobalt / Cytotoxicity / Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy / Dyes / Fourier transforms / Infrared spectroscopy / Light irradiation / Magnetic properties / Morphology / Nanoparticles / Nickel / Nickel ferrites / Photocatalysis / Photodegradation / Photoluminescence / Scanning electron microscopy / Sol-gel processes / Solid phases / Spectrum analysis / X-ray diffraction