A comprehensive study on Ni-Doped cobalt ferrites for optical response and anti-bacterial activity

Abstract

In the current study, Ni doped CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were fabricated using well-known hydrothermal method. The structural, morphological, optical, and antibacterial activity were analyzed through the latest analytical techniques. The Fd-cubic spinel crystal structure was observed with variations in crystallite sizes and lattice parameters of synthesized samples. The growth of spherical and uniform nanoparticles with the presence of expected elements are observed from field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-rays analysis, respectively. A broad absorption band was shown in UV-visible absorption spectroscopy in the wavelength range of 200-320 nm. A significant increase in the energy band gap was observed from 2.98 eV to 3.56 eV as the concentration of dopant increased from 2% to 6%. The antibacterial activities of the samples were investigated against Staph aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. Coli through the well-known Agar well diffusion method. The pure and Ni-doped CoFe2O4 exhibits a maximum zone of inhibition (3-25 mm), proposing that these materials are efficient against bacterial resistance. Further, the enhancement in value of the inhibition zone by substitution of Ni at cobalt sites recommended that it is a potential candidate for biomedical applications and can be highly effective against the high resistance of different bacteria.