Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO/NiFe2O4 Materials

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of ZnO/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites for potential application in photocatalytic wastewater treatment. The composites were prepared via a two-step hydrothermal process with Zn²⁺/Ni²⁺ molar ratios of 1, 1.5, and 2. X-ray diffraction combined with Rietveld refinement confirmed the coexistence of characteristic crystalline phases with nanoscale particle sizes. SEM observations revealed distinct morphologies. Magnetic characterization using a vibrating sample magnetometer indicated that pure NiFe2O4 exhibited soft magnetic behavior, while the saturation magnetization of the composites decreased as ZnO content increased. UV–Vis spectroscopy and band gap analysis demonstrated an extension of optical absorption from the ultraviolet to the visible region. These properties suggest that ZnO/NiFe2O4 composites may serve as potential candidates for magnetically recoverable photocatalysts, although photocatalytic performance evaluation will be the subject of future work.