Combustion Synthesis and Comprehensive Characterization of Pure and Ni-Doped CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Functional Composite Applications
Journal
JOURNAL OF POLYMER & COMPOSITES
Date Issued
2026
Author(s)
Selvaraj, A.
Sundararajan, M.
Nandhini, S.
Yuvaraj, S.
Dash, Chandra Sekhar
Alagarasan, Jagadeesh Kumar
Thirumurugan, Arun
Hevia, Gabriela Sandoval
Hegde, Tejaswi Ashok
Udhaya, P. Aji
Abstract
The CuFe2-xNixO4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5) nanoparticles were synthesized using a combustion method and comprehensively characterized to understand their suitability for polymer-based composite applications. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a single-phase spinel ferrite structure with crystallite sizes of 20-30 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy verified the successful incorporation of Ni ions into the CuFe2O4 lattice, while FE-SEManalysis revealed uniformly dispersed nanoscale particles desirable for composite reinforcement. Optical characterization showed a gradual reduction in band gap energy from 1.81 to 1.75 eV with increasing Ni content, indicating enhanced electronic interactions that can contribute to improved functional performance in polymer matrices. FT-IR spectra further validated the structural stability of the Ni-substituted ferrites through characteristic metal-oxygen stretching vibrations. The tunable structural and optical properties of CuFe2-xNixO4 nanoparticles highlight their potential as promising fillers for multifunctional polymer and hybrid composite materials.


