Synthesis an‎d investigation of the effect of additives on microstructure, magnetic properties, an‎d photocatalytic behavior of zinc ferrite nanoparticles

9/22/2026 12:00:00 AM

Zinc ferrite was synthesized via the solution combustion method using urea as fuel, followed by heat treatment at 700°C for 2 hours. In this research, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Raman spectroscopy, an‎d vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were employed to characterize the samples. From the XRD analysis, the synthesized zinc ferrite was single phase with no secondary phases observed. It exhibited a maximum magnetization of approximately 3 emu/g, a ban‎dgap of 2.02 eV, an‎d a morphology consisting of secondary particles composed of primary nanoparticles. To enhance the magnetic properties an‎d photocatalytic behavior, nickel was added as a dopant at 10%, 20%, an‎d 30% molar ratios, substituting zinc. The sample containing 30% nickel showed maximum magnetization of approximately 44 emu/g, a ban‎dgap of 1.84 eV, an‎d a morphology similar to the base sample. Despite reducing the fluorescence intensity an‎d ban‎dgap, the 30% nickel-doped sample still exhibited no photocatalytic degradation. To improve degradation performance, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) was synthesized via the hydrothermal method at 200°C for 18 hours. XRD confirmed the presence of the 2H-MoS₂ phase, while Raman spectroscopy verified the existence of the 1T-MoS₂ phase next to 2H one. It had a ban‎dgap of 1.65 eV an‎d a flower-like morphology. A significant portion of its photocatalytic degradation occurred within 30 minutes in the dark, with complete degradation achieved after 30 minutes under illumination. A composite of zinc ferrite with 50 wt% MoS₂ was synthesized by hydrothermal method. XRD confirmed the formation of both 2H-MoS₂ an‎d zinc ferrite phases, with a ban‎dgap of 1.65 eV. The photoluminescence intensity of the composite increased compared to pure MoS₂. Its maximum magnetization was 29 emu/g, an‎d approximately 80% of the photocatalytic degradation occurred within 30 minutes in the dark, with the remaining degradation completed in 45 minutes under illumination.

فريت روي , فوتوكاتاليست , خواص مغناطيسي , موليبدن دي سولفيد , نانو ذرات

zinc ferrite , photocalysis , magnetic properties , nano particles

Mahdi Jalilian

Dr.Seyyed Mohammad Mirkazemi