Vol:.(1234567890)
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics (2018) 29:6040–6050
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-8578-2
1 3
Antimicrobial, electrochemical and photo catalytic activities of Zn
doped Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles
P. M. Anjana
1
· M. R. Bindhu
2
· M. Umadevi
3
· R. B. Rakhi
1
Received: 15 December 2017 / Accepted: 10 January 2018 / Published online: 17 January 2018
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
In the present study, we report the synthesis of Fe
3
O
4
and Zn-doped Fe
3
O
4
(Zn/Fe
3
O
4
) nanoparticles by a simple co-
precipitation method. The morphology, structure and optical properties of the samples are characterized by transmission
electron microscopy, X-ray difraction, UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive
spectroscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy. The antibacterial, electrochemical energy storage and photocatalytic properties
of the nanoparticles are studied in detail, and the results are discussed. Antibacterial activity of Fe
3
O
4
and Zn/Fe
3
O
4
nano-
particles are analyzed by disc difusion method on Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella typhi and Gram-positive pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus. Zn/Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles show a higher zone of inhibition because of having a larger specifc surface
area than the pure Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles. The electrochemical energy storage performances of the nanoparticles are tested
in a symmetric two-electrode confguration, and the measurement demonstrated that Zn doping nearly doubles the energy
storage properties of the Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles. The study of the photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue (MB) dye under
UV irradiation in the presence of pure and doped Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles reveal that both nanoparticles act as ideal catalysts
for degradation of MB dye.
1 Introduction
Researchers worldwide are focusing on magnetic nanoparti-
cles of iron oxides with high oxidative stability, due to their
biocompatibility, chemical stability, and magnetic behav-
ior. Magnetite (Fe
3
O
4
) nanoparticles are used in various
applications, such as drug delivery systems, radiofrequency
hyperthermia, photomagnetic and magnetic resonance imag-
ing, medical diagnostics and cancer therapy and microwave
devices, magneto-optics devices, electrochemical energy
storage, sensors, high-frequency applications, catalysis, etc.
[1]. It is crucial to control necessary qualities such as size,
magnetic behavior, shape, stability and surface morphology
of the particles to develop applications. Doping Fe
3
O
4
nano-
particles with transition metal is one of the most powerful
ways to improve these qualities. Zinc belongs to a class of
microelements and plays a signifcant role in many vital bio-
chemical reactions and physiological processes [2]. Of all
the transition metal ions Zn
2+
causes more efective doping
with Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles as the same ionic radii of Zn and
Fe. Hence Zn
2+
ion can easily substitute Fe
3+
ion in Fe
3
O
4
lattice without destroying the crystal structure, thereby
stabilizing the phase. There were many synthetic methods
have been developed to prepare Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles, includ-
ing microemultions [3], sol–gel syntheses [4] sonochemi-
cal reactions, hydrochemical reactions [5], fow injection
synthesis [6] and electrospray synthesis [7]. A great deal
of interest has been put into the co-precipitation technique,
using iron salts, which is possibly the simplest, easily scaled
up for bulk preparation and most capable chemical pathway
to obtain magnetic nanoparticles [8–13].
Pure water is the vital survival need for a safe, healthy
and long life of living beings in this world. Rising indus-
trialization and decay of natural sources of water causes
the unavailability of harmless drinking water and numer-
ous health hazards. Treatment of water pollutants and
* M. R. Bindhu
bindhufm@gmail.com
* R. B. Rakhi
rakhiraghavanbaby@niist.res.in
1
Chemical Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-National
Institute of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-
NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695019, India
2
Department of Physics, Nanjil Catholic College of Arts
and Science, Nedumcode, Kaliyakavilai, Tamil Nadu, India
3
Department of Physics, Mother Teresa Women’s University,
Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India