Lactose monohydrate (C12H22O11 • H2O) mediated synthesis and spectral analysis of nanocrystalline Ni0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4

Ni0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 nanocrystalline spinel ferrite was synthesized through a lactose monohydrate (C12H22O11 center dot H2O) mediated chemical preparation technique (post annealed at 600 degrees C for 4 h). Various analytical results obtained after characterization measurements such as X-ray powder diffraction, ultra violet-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements were discussed. X-ray diffraction pattern analysis confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline face-centered cubic lattice phase of Ni0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 with crystallite size (similar to)9 nm. The Tauc plot corresponding to ultra violet-visible reflectance data employing the Kubelka- Munk function provided a direct transition band gap of 4.92 eV. The characteristic tetrahedral and octahedral vibration bands observed in the Fourier transform infrared spectrum further confirmed that Ni0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles were crystallized in spinel structure.