Photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet dye using honey mediated synthesis of NiFe ₂ O ₄ nanoparticles

Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanoparticles have gained significant attention for their magnetic, optical, and photocatalytic properties, ideal for environmental and energy applications. This study presents a green, sustainable, and cost-effective method for synthesizing NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles via a honey-mediated combustion technique, where the natural sugars and organic compounds in honey act as fuel and stabilizing agents. The NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, FTIR, DRS-UV and FE-SEM. XRD confirmed a cubic spinel structure with a lattice constant of 8.3554 Å and an average crystallite size of 3–5 nm, further analyzed using Scherrer, Modified Scherrer, and Williamson – Hall methods. FTIR demonstrated the characteristic ferrite functional groups, while DRS-UV revealed an optical band gap of 2.02 eV. SEM images showed predominantly spherical nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 10 to 20 nm. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated for Crystal Violet dye under UV light, demonstrating effective degradation of 75.5%. The influence of pH, dye concentration, and contact time was investigated, along with catalyst reusability. Addition of AgNO3 enhanced the degradation efficiency to 88.58%. However, the catalyst showed limited activity against the anionic dye Alizarin Red S, with only 22.3% degradation. These honey-synthesized NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles show strong potential as eco-friendly photocatalysts for organic dye removal.