Novel and feasible synthetic routes to copper ferrite nanoparticles: Taguchi optimization and photocatalytic application

In the present study, nanocrystallite copper ferrite (CuFe₂O₄) has been obtained via two different methods. In the first method, CuFe₂O₄ with an average particle size of 7.6 ± 0.5 nm was synthesized by pyrolysis of iron and cupferron as a chelating agent. In the second method, CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with an average particle size of 22.3 nm were synthesized by combined microemulsion and homogenous precipitation methods. The effective parameters for the synthesis procedures were determined and optimized using L₈ and L₄ Taguchi designs. Different techniques to characterize the structure and morphological properties of nanoparticles are X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, transmission electron microscopy, Dynamic light scattering, and elemental micro analysis. Crystal violet (C₂₅N₃H₃₀Cl) as a model pollutant and UV lamp as an energy source were applied for the investigation of the photocatalytic activity of nanocrystalline CuFe₂O₄ powders. The 97 % degradation of crystal violet could be obtained around 100 min.