Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel-Iron Bimetallic Oxide Nanoparticles via Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

Bimetallic oxide nanoparticles is of great interest because of the increased potential application for which they can be applied, mainly in industrial catalytic applications owing to the synergic mechanism of two metallic elements within a nano system.  Present study investigates an efficient synthesis of Ni-Fe bimetallic oxide nanoparticles in ethylene glycol using microwave irradiation technique. Nickel and iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized separately using microwave assisted polyol synthesis method. This are then combined together in ratio 1:1 molar and is treated under microwave radiation to get Ni-Fe bimetallic oxide .The product was calcined in a muffle furnace for three different temperatures viz., 500^oC, 700 ^oC and 900 ^oC. The structure and composition of nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible Spectroscopy, FT-IR Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). From the FT-IR measurements ascertains the principal vibrational modes such as Ni-O, Fe-O-Fe, Ni-Fe stretching bands and from XRD measurements grain size of the nanoparticles are determined. The empirical formula of the nanoparticle is found as Ni₁Fe_1.6O_2.9 at 500^◦C, Ni₁Fe_1.5O_2.6 at 700^◦C and Ni₁Fe₂O_2.7 at 900^◦C. Antibacterial and antifungal activity studies reveals that the nanoparticles show no appreciable biological activity.