Low-cost and eco-friendly viable approach for synthesis of gadolinium doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles using glucose

Abstract

Gadolinium doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by via a sol–gel method with the aid of nickel (II) nitrate, iron (III) nitrate, gadolinium (III) nitrate and glucose without adding external surfactant. Glucose plays role as capping agent, reductant agent, and natural template in the synthesis NiFe_2−xGd_xO₄ nanoparticles. The as-synthesized NiFe_2−xGd_xO₄ nanoparticles were characterized by means of several techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The magnetic properties of as-prepared NiFe_2−xGd_xO₄ nanoparticles were also investigated with vibrating sample magnetometer. To evaluate the catalytic properties of nanocrystalline NiFe_2−xGd_xO₄, the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under ultraviolet light irradiation was carried out.