Assessment of the catalytic and biological potential of yttrium and samarium-modified copper ferrite nanomaterials

The present study reports the preparation of crystalline and nanosized copper ferrite (CuFe 2 O 4 ) , Y 3 + substituted CuFe 2 O 4 (CuFe 1.95 Y 0.05 O 4 ), and Sm 3 + substituted CuFe 2 O 4 (CuFe 1.95 Sm 0.05 O 4 ) using a simple co-precipitation method. The XRD analysis confirmed the formation of the cubic spinel phase, while XPS studies validated the presence of Cu and Fe in 2 + and 3 + oxidation states respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed the nanoparticles with a diameter in the range of 10 - 60 nm. The introduction of fractional amounts of Y 3 + and Sm 3 + ions in the CuFe 2 O 4 lattice enhanced the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, attributed to decreased particle size facilitating the reduction process. In the case of antimicrobial activity, Candida albican was found to be maximally sensitive to CuFe 2 O 4 and CuFe 1.95 Y 0.05 O 4 , while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was inhibited by CuFe 1.95 Sm 0 . 05 O 4. Moreover, a maximum of 61.9 +/- 1.91 % anti- Pseudomonas biofilm activity and 75.7 +/- 1.28 % DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed for CuFe 1.95 Y 0.05 O 4 at 200 mu g/ml concentration. The improvement in biological activities was attributed to the reduced particle size, crystal structure modification, and increased stability of the CuFe 2 O 4 lattice with substitution. The enhancement in catalytic and biological performance highlighted the effectiveness of minimal Y 3 + and Sm 3 + concentrations in modulating the properties of CuFe 2 O 4 nanomaterials.