Optical, Structural, Morphological, Antibacterial, and Photodegradation Characteristics of BaxMg0.8-xFe2O4 (x=0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) Nanocrystalline Powders Synthesized by Combustion Method

Herein, a series of barium-doped magnesium ferrites [BaxMg0.8-xFe2O4 (x = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6)] with metal nitrates and egg white solution are prepared to show how simultaneous substitution of divalent cations affects the structural, morphological, antibacterial, and photocatalytic capabilities of ferrites. A cubic spinel and hexagonal structures are discovered through a wide particle size dispersion in the sample. The infrared (IR) spectra of the octahedral and tetrahedral sites exhibit two prominent absorption bands about 576 and 450 cm(-1). With increasing Ba2+ doping, the optical band gaps decreased from 6 to 5.6 eV. The elemental analysis of Ba, Mg, Fe, and O is confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies reveal the formation of spherical nanoparticles along with some hexagonal structures. For antibacterial studies, BaxMg0.8-xFe2O4 nanoparticles are tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The photodegradation test of the produced nanoparticles for the degradation of Congo red and methylene blue dyes is examined under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation.