ABSTRACT Nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NiFe 2 O 4 ) were successfully synthesized at room temperature using cationic and anionic surfactants via the co‐precipitation method. The structural and phase characteristics of the synthesized ferrites were analyzed through x‐ray diffraction (XRD), confirming the formation of ferrite phase and their crystalline nature. The average crystallite size, determined using the Debye–Scherrer equation from the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of XRD peaks, confirmed their nanoscale dimensions. Morphological analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while optical properties were investigated through UV‐visible spectroscopy. Photoluminescence (PL) studies revealed emission bands under UV excitation, indicating the presence of significant defect states within the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the photocatalytic (PC) performance of the ferrites was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under sunlight using magnetic stirring, as well as in dark conditions via ultrasonication. The results demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic efficiency, highlighting the potential of these nickel ferrite nanoparticles for environmental remediation and pollutant degradation.
Kumar et al. (Sun,) studied this question.