Ferrite Nanocomposites Research Articles

Synthesis and characterization of PANI-CZF nanocomposites for enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding

The Zn0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 nano ferrites were prepared by the solution combustion method using aloe vera gel. The polyaniline-Zn0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 nano ferrite composites were prepared by Ex-situ polymerization method with different weight percentage ratio. The prepared samples were examined by X-Ray diffraction, SEM, EDAX, BET, TEM, VSM and Impedance analyser to investigate their structural, morphological, elemental analysis, average pore size and the porosity, magnetic, and dielectric properties, respectively. The cubic spinel structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. Addition of PANI to zinc-copper nano ferrite exhibits shift in crystalline peaks towards larger angle. The existence of spherical and clumped particles was revealed by SEM examination. The retentivity and coercivity are determined and the magnetic moment values were decreases with increase in PANI to the ferrite nanocomposites. The ac conductivity constant at lower frequency and there is a sudden increase and decrease in its value as a function of frequency shows resonance behaviour. The CZF-1 (CZF 30%) composite shows highest ac conductivity and dielectric constant. The electromagnetic shielding interference studies were conducted for S-band frequency. The CZF-1 (CZF 30%) nano composite shows highest shielding effectiveness as compared to other composite in the frequency range 2 to 3 GHz. The experimental result showed that these materials are used for applications in electromagnetic interference shielding.

Fabrication of green magnetized ferrite biochar nanocomposites from orange peels/MnFe2O4, peanut shells/CuFe2O4, tree twigs/Ni Fe2O4, and wood/CoFe2O4: characterization and application as adsorbents for adsorption/desorption/stability of basic Blue-XGRRL dye with possible mechanisms

Abstract One of the primary sources of water pollution is the wastewater released from textile industry. In the current research, green magnetized ferrite biochar nanocomposites for the purification of basic dye Blue-XGRRL were prepared and characterized. The optimal pH values to attain maximum adsorption for orange peels/MnFe2O4, peanut shells/CuFe2O4, tree twigs/Ni Fe2O4, and wood/CoFe2O4 were noticed in the basic range of 11 (43.5 mg/g), 10 (37.8 mg/g), 10 (31.9 mg/g), and 10 (14.9 mg/g) at 0.05 g/0.05 L at optimal adsorbent dosage correspondingly. The equilibrium observed within 60 min in order of 45.7, 39.9, 33.9, and 18.9 mg/g for adsorbents. The optimal initial dye concentration 100 mg/L was determined for 46.8, 41.4, 37, and 25 mg/g of dye removal utilizing their corresponding adsorbing material at optimal temperature of 30 °C. The data adhered to Langmuir equilibrium and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Positive Gibbs free energy values led to the conclusion that the process lacks spontaneity. For Blue-XGRRL dye, the maximum desorption (45.4, 41.9, 36.3, and 23.9%) was achieved. For the first two cycles, the removal efficiencies were constant and then marginally declined in third cycle. These green nanocomposites hold promise for effective adsorption in water treatment, signifying their potential as impactful and sustainable solutions.

Process Optimization and Equilibrium, Thermodynamic, and Kinetic Modeling of Toxic Congo Red Dye Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions Using a Copper Ferrite Nanocomposite Adsorbent.

In the present investigation of copper ferrite, a CuFe2O4 nanocomposite adsorbent was synthesized using the sol-gel method, and its relevance in the adsorptive elimination of the toxic Congo red (CR) aqueous phase was examined. A variety of structural methods were used to analyze the CuFe2O4 nanocomposite; the as-synthesized nanocomposite had agglomerated clusters with a porous, irregular, rough surface that could be seen using FE-SEM, and it also contained carbon (23.47%), oxygen (44.31%), copper (10.21%), and iron (22.01%) in its elemental composition by weight. Experiments were designed to achieve the most optimized system through the utilization of a central composite design (CCD). The highest uptake of CR dye at equilibrium occurred when the initial pH value was 5.5, the adsorbate concentration was 125 mg/L, and the adsorbent dosage was 3.5 g/L. Kinetic studies were conducted, and they showed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order (PSO) model (regression coefficient, R2 = 0.9998), suggesting a chemisorption mechanism, and the overall reaction rate was governed by both the film and pore diffusion of adsorbate molecules. The process through which dye molecules were taken up onto the particle surface revealed interactions involving electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, and pore filling. According to isotherm studies, the equilibrium data exhibited strong agreement with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9989), demonstrating a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity (qmax) of 64.72 mg/g at pH 6 and 302 K. Considering the obtained negative ΔG and positive ΔHads and ΔSads values across all tested temperatures in the thermodynamic investigations, it was confirmed that the adsorption process was characterized as endothermic, spontaneous, and feasible, with an increased level of randomness. The CuFe2O4 adsorbent developed in this study is anticipated to find extensive application in effluent treatment, owing to its excellent reusability and remarkable capability to effectively remove CR in comparison to other adsorbents.

A Comparative study on the Removal of different dyes from aqueous medium using Zinc Ferrite Nanocomposite and Rice Husk Adsorbents

This research aimed to develop simple, inexpensive, and ecologically suitable adsorbents for removing dyes through adsorption. Thus, co-precipitation and in-situ polymerization techniques were utilised to produce polyaniline resulting in the synthesis of Zinc Ferrite Polyaniline Nanocomposite (ZF-PANI NC). Also, Rice Husk (RH) was also used as adsorbent. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments were carried out on ZF nanoparticles and ZF-PANI NC. The average grain size of ZF-PANI NC was 13 nm. When compared to RH that had been treated with sodium hydroxide (SHRH), RH seemed more crystalline. However, the crystalline nature of SHRH was slightly enhanced by the adsorptive Reactive Yellow (RY) dye, and the surface of SHRH appears uniform in the SEM images. Rhodamine B (RhB) dye adsorbance’s at known concentrations were measured using a UV–visible spectrophotometer and a calibration curve. Percent removal of RhB dye by ZF-PANI NC over time (0–45 min) and in the presence of various adsorbent doses (0.1–0.5 g) revealed that the percentage of dye removal rose when ZF-PANI NC dose was increased. At room temperature (25 °C), RY dye adsorption on RH and SHRH revealed only 65 % in 40 min, whereas SHRH removed 99 %. ZF-PANI NC was suitable as a reliable and affordable adsorbent for dye remediation from aqueous solution. SHRH and RH both performed better in adsorbing RY dye. A pseudo-2nd order kinetic approach with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm provided the best fit for the results. The low value of ΔG° demonstrated the viability of RY adsorption. SHRH and ZF-PANI NC have high adsorption efficiency compared to RH and ZF.

Preparation of spinel ferrites-based flexible electrodes for high electrochemical performances

In this study, we synthesized two different types of spinel ferrites as CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 nanocomposites by thermal decomposition method to improve the performance of supercapacitor research. Numerous physicochemical characterization tests, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), UV–Vis DRS, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses, have been conducted to investigate the structural, morphological, and elemental composition of the manufactured ferrite electrodes. Three-electrode systems have each been used in the electrochemical investigations for the electrodes utilizing 3 M KOH as the electrolyte. The nickel ferrite and cobalt ferrite nanocomposites had a maximum specific capacitance of 1096 Fg−1 and 836 Fg−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. A high energy density is also delivered by the assembled symmetric CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 nanocomposites. In addition, the nanocomposites exhibit Pseudo capacitance with excellent cyclic stability of 87.4 % and 80.5 % capacitance retention for 5000 cycles. The fabricated CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 electrodes showed a strong reduction in the Rct value than the pristine nanocomposites. The materials have demonstrated promising potential as electrodes for energy conversion and storage.

The Cavity Perturbation Technique to Detect Cobalt Ferrite and Cobalt Ferrite-Barium Titanate Core-Shell Nanocomposites in the Microwave Frequency Range for Biomedical Applications

This paper focuses on the cavity perturbation technique to measure the dielectric properties of nanoparticles: (i) cobalt ferrite (ii) barium titanate and (iii) core-shell cobalt ferrite-barium titanate. The shift in TE103 and TE105 resonant mode is compared for the above three nanomaterials which in turn is correlated to its dielectric properties. Barium titanate has the highest shift in resonance peak and it is directly proportional to its relative permittivity followed by cobalt ferrite-barium titanate and cobalt ferrite respectively. However, the half power bandwidth, Δ f is highest for the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles and least for barium titanate. Approximately 1.145 MHz shift and 3.391 MHz shift is observed for the insertion of the lossy core-shell cobalt ferrite in TE103 and TE105 modes. The quality factor for barium titante was measured to be approximately twice to that of cobalt ferrite for this particular experiment.

Production and characterization of CuNiZnFe2O4 dispersed transformer and kerosene oil based magnetic nanofluids for heat transfer applications

This study produced nanofluids via a two-step method by dispersing copper–nickel–zinc (CuNiZnFe2O4) ferrite nanocomposites in transformer and kerosene oils. A sol–gel auto-combustion approach was adopted to synthesize ferrite nanoparticles. The prepared nanoparticles were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The measured crystallite size varied between 11 and 13 nm. The SEM images show that the structures of the developed CuNiZn nanoparticles are irregular. The photoluminescence results give a bandgap of 1.91 eV and the emission lines of the nanoparticles. Transient hot wire analysis was performed to determine the thermal conductivity of the base fluid and the prepared nanofluids. It is observed that nanoparticles in the nanofluid enhance the heat transfer rate. It has been proven that CuNiZn/kerosene-based nanofluids have greater thermal conductivity than CuNiZn/transformer oil-based nanofluids. The viscosity of transformer oil-based nanofluids at room temperature is 12.53 mm2 s−1, which decreases to 12.49 mm2 s−1 at 40 °C. Similarly, the viscosity of kerosene-based nanofluids is 1.49 mm2 s−1 at room temperature and 1.16 mm2 s−1 at 40 °C. The sedimentation method revealed that CuNiZn/transformer oil-based nanofluids have greater stability than CuNiZn/kerosene-based nanofluids.

Simple co-precipitation synthesis of activated carbon-cobalt ferrite (AC-CoFe2O4) nanocomposites: enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation and antimicrobial activity

Abstract In this present work, spinel cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 NPs) and activated carbon-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites (AC-CoFeO4 NCs) were synthesized by simple co-precipitation method and used for photocatalytic dye degradation (PCD) of rhodamine-B (Rh-B) dye. The antimicrobial study of the as-synthesized CoFe2O4 NPs was also performed. The as-synthesized CoFe2O4 NPs and AC-CoFe2O4 NCs were analyzed by ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, scanning electron spectroscopy (FE-SEM) techniques. Powder XRD analysis showed that the as-synthesized CoFeO4 NPs and AC-CoFeO4 NCs had average particle size of 18 nm and 46 nm, respectively. The FE-SEM showed that the CoFe2O4 samples have sphere like morphology and were well decorated on activated carbon in order to provide high surface area. AC-CoFe2O4 NCs have effectively used for the PCD of Rh-B dye with high efficiency. Furthermore, spinel CoFe2O4 NPs acted as a more effective antimicrobial agent against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains. Moreover, AC-CoFe2O4 NCs can be used as the precursor materials for supercapacitor, sensors etc.

Biomass-derived Activated Carbon with Nickel Ferrite Nanocomposite for Broadband Microwave Absorption

This study presents a novel approach using a composite material consisting of Biomass-derived Activated Carbon and Nickel Ferrite Nanocomposite as an advanced option for achieving effective microwave absorption over a wide range of frequencies. The use of biomass, which is a sustainable and easily accessible resource, serves as the fundamental basis for this methodology. This approach effectively tackles the need for enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding in communication and radar systems by integrating activated carbon generated from biomass with nickel ferrite nanoparticles. Traditional approaches often encounter challenges related to the limited absorption of bandwidth and environmental considerations. The utilization of Biomass-derived Activated Carbon for Broadband Microwave Absorption (BMAC-BMA) presents a significant advancement, characterized by a noteworthy Absorption Coefficient of 14.25 Np/m, Return Loss of -20.37 dB, specific surface area of 580.25 m²/g, pore size distribution of 2.8 nm, Saturation Magnetization of 1.35 A/m and Reflection Coefficient of 0.1. These characteristic holds promise for driving breakthroughs in technology and communication systems. This study demonstrates the significant impact of using sustainable biomass resources in producing advanced materials for various applications.

Experimental and theoretical investigation on structure, toxicity, and DNA interaction of turmeric-coated cobalt ferrite nanocomposites

Experimental and theoretical investigation on structure, toxicity, and DNA interaction of turmeric-coated cobalt ferrite nanocomposites

Reduced graphene oxide/TiO2/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite as a stable photocatalyst and strong antibacterial agent

In this study, we prepared reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/titanium dioxide (TiO2)/nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanocomposites with different mass ratios of rGO, TiO2, and NiFe2O4 by a simple hydrothermal method. These nanocomposites were found to exhibit enhanced visible light harvesting, reduced electron–hole recombination, and improved magnetic properties compared to rGO, TiO2, and NiFe2O4. The study evaluated the photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of the nanocomposites, with particular emphasis on the GTN211 (with a mass ratio of 2:1:1 for rGO:TiO2:NiFe2O4) nanocomposite. The results showed that the GTN211 nanocomposite exhibited the best photocatalytic performance under both UV and visible light irradiation, achieving 95 and 89% degradation of Methylene Blue dye in 15 min, respectively. The study also investigated the photodegradation mechanism using various scavengers and found that holes were the main active species in the process. In addition to photocatalytic activity, the GTN211 nanocomposite also showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 mg mL−1 for both bacteria and a minimum bactericidal concentration of 0.8 and 1 mg mL−1, respectively. Hence, the GTN211 nanocomposite has potential as a material for environmental remediation and biomedical applications. The combination of photocatalytic and antibacterial activity makes this material a promising candidate for a wide range of applications.

Impact of (Sm, Sr) Co-Doping at Bi-Site on the Structural, Optical, Multiferroic and Dielectric Properties of Bismuth Ferrite Nanocomposites

A series of samarium (Sm) and strontium (Sr) co-doped BiFeO3 (BFO) and pure BiFeO3 (BFO) nanocomposites were synthesized by thesol-gel auto-combustion method. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the synthesized Sr:Sm BFO nanocomposites shows a rhombohedralperovskite structure. The morphological studies revealed that synthesized Sr:Sm BFO and pure BFO exhibit a regular arrangement ofgrains. The diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) exhibit the doping of Sr:Sm BFO reduces the optical band gap values of BFO from 2.02 eVto 1.69 eV. It was observed that the prepared Sr:Sm BFO and undoped BFO samples show G-type antiferromagnetic behaviour and thevalues of saturation magnetization (Ms) increased by increasing the Sr:Sm BFO doping concentrations at the A site of BFO lattice. Themagnitude of the dielectric constant (εr) and dielectric loss (tan δ) were increased gradually with applied frequency and by increasingdoping concentration in the BFO matrix. The significant enhancement in the dielectric parameters with increasing Sm and Sr concentrations in BFO results in improved ferromagnetic properties that could be considered a promising candidate for some advanced device applications.

Tuning the electrochemical performance of binary CuFe2O4 incorporated by ZnO nanoparticles for high performance hybrid supercapacitors

Developing magnetic nanomaterials with exceptional electrochemical activities is the cutting edge in the fields of advanced supercapacitor applications. Herein, the binary copper ferrite nanocomposite has been prepared by a cost-effective co-precipitation method and their electrochemical activity has been enhanced by incorporating the different molar concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles in its lattice. Zinc oxide incorporated copper ferrite nanocomposite (Zn-CFO-1 NC) electrode delivers the maximum specific capacity of about 409.7 C/g at the sweep rate of 10 mV/s. The charge storage mechanism has been revealed by the Trasatti method, delivering the total, outer, and inner capacities of Zn-CFO-1 of 826.4, 41.0, and 784.4 C/g respectively along with the diffusion and capacitive contributions of 95% and 5% correspondingly. The supercapacitor device (SCD) has been fabricated by Zn-CFO-1 as cathode and activated carbon (AC) anode in 3 M KOH as an electrolytic medium, which provides the maximum energy density of about 17.8 Wh/kg and their maximum power density of about 3125 W/kg.

Graphene nanoplatelets/Li-Mg-Sm spinel ferrite nanocomposites with improved dielectric and magnetic properties

This study aims to present Li0.2Mg0.6Sm0.03Fe2.17O4/Graphene nanoplatelets [LMSF/GNPs] composites prepared via SGAC route. X-ray diffraction study vindicated the pure spinel matrix and found that crystallite size (D) showed decreasing behavior with the substitution of GNPs in the LMSF lattice. Raman analysis was employed to study the molecular vibrational bands and, also verified the spinel structure along with the presence of GNPs. The dielectric constant was exponentially decreased up to 100 kHz frequency and then obtained constant behavior. However, the minimum dielectric tangent loss was also reduced with increasing frequency. The magnetic properties showed that saturation magnetization was reduced from 89.74 to 49.96 emu/g by an increasing GNPs concentration and the microwave operating frequency revealed a similar trend as saturation magnetization. Hence, based on LMSF/GNPs composites dielectric and magnetic behavior, LMSF/GNP composites are promising materials in applications related to high frequency and recording and storing media devices.

Zeolite-Copper Ferrite Nanocomposites with Improved Antibacterial Activity and Reusability for Biomedical Applications

Zeolite-Copper Ferrite Nanocomposites with Improved Antibacterial Activity and Reusability for Biomedical Applications

Gd-doped bismuth ferrite nanocomposite: A promising candidate for piezocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and pathogenic E. coli

This work portrays a detailed depiction of degrading two separate carcinogenic organic dyes (Rhodamine B and Eriochrome black T) along with the ablation of pathogenic E. coli bacteria by employing a gadolinium-doped bismuth ferrite (GBF) piezo catalyst. The piezo catalyst has been prepared by a facile two-step solvothermal route and characterized for structural, morphological, elemental, and overall polarization properties. An irregular cubic structure is found (∼15-50 nm), confirming the nano-scale nature of the synthesized samples. Notably, the synthesized nano powder exhibits high remnant polarization (0.92 μC cm−2) which is further confirmed by the density functional theory (DFT). Such tremendously high polarizability has been further exploited to eradicate both dyes. Under the soft ultrasound stimulation (15 kHz), the piezo catalyst (GBF1) shows an extraordinary degradation efficiency (97.6% for RhB and 91.3% for EBT). The reusability of the piezo catalyst has been checked for several cycles, and after the cyclic test, post-analysis of the sample has also been done which indicates the stability of the catalyst very well. Moreover, a remarkable antibacterial activity has been found for the GBF1 sample having a mortality of almost ∼ 99.33% in 30 mins. Additionally, the strong remanent magnetization of the catalyst (10.564×10−4 emu/g) makes the extraction of the catalyst possible by using a simple magnetic field. This extraction method has significant potential for rapidly cleaning waterbodies to prevent secondary pollution. Henceforth, the as-synthesized piezo catalyst (GBF1) could aid in future water treatment projects and can be translated from the bench to the bedside, if properly improvised.

Alkyd coating containing metal phosphomolybdate/cobalt ferrite nanocomposites as efficient corrosion inhibitor for stainless steel 316L in saline solution

Nanocomposites of some metallo-phosphomolybdates (ZrO, VO, Mn and Mg-POMs) with cobalt and manganese ferrites (CoFe2O4 or MnFe2O4) were synthesized and evaluated as efficient and inexpensive green anti-corrosion coatings for commercial stainless – steel (SS) in a 3.5% NaCl medium. The synthesised composites were characterized using electron microscopic (SEM and TEM), spectroscopic (XRD, EDX and AFM) techniques and contact angle measurements. The resultes confirmed the incorporation of both the M-POMs and the ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) in the composite matrices. Paint formulations based on the new M-POM/ferrite nanocomposites and containing alkyd resins were prepared and applied to Stainless-Steel substrates. Electrochemical techniques such as EIS (Nyquist, Bode) and Tafel were used to investigate the anticorrosive properties of the prepared coating materials. The measurements revealed that the POM/Ferrite composite coatings onto SS exhibited enhanced anticorrosive properties compared to those of both the separate ferrite or POM. The value of Rp of the ZrO- and Mn-POM coatings compared to its POM/cobalt ferrite composites as obtained from Tafel measurements increased from 1395 kΩ cm2 to 6770 kΩ cm2 and 112.8 kΩ cm2 to 692 kΩ cm2 respectively indicating high corrosion protection of the coated steel panels.

Numerical investigation of heat source induced thermal slip effect on trihybrid nanofluid flow over a stretching surface

The fluid flow model is evaluated with the mass and energy transfer through the trihybrid nanofluid (Thnf) past a stretching permeable sheet. The proficiency of the nanofluid could be more effective, improved and stable by introducing nanoparticles with various thermal and rheological properties. The trihybrid nanoliquid has been prepared by the dispersion of silver (Ag), cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanocomposites in water. The consequences of Darcy-Forchheimer are engaged in the momentum equation, to evaluate the permeability effect. The fluid flow is expressed in the form system of PDEs with effect of natural convection, magnetic field and heat source. Which are converted into a non-dimensional set of ODE by using similarity variables substitutions. Moreover, the numerical approach PCM (parametric continuation method) is used to deal the derived set of ODEs. The results are relatively compared to the existing study for accuracy purposes. It has been noted that the Thnf has higher thermal conductivity than ordinary and hybrid nanoliquid. The velocity field rises with the mounting values of the thermal Grashof number. The velocity curve drops with the effect of a power law, Forchheimer's, and porosity parameters.

Fabrication of polyaniline based calcium ferrite nanocomposite and its application in sequestration of Victoria blue dye from wastewater

Fabrication of a novel nanocomposite named calcium ferrite/polyaniline (CaFe2O4-PANI) was reported and its potential for adsorption of toxic cationic dye named Victoria blue (VB) was studied in this work. The CaFe2O4-PANI has showcased improved adsorptive potential for VB dye with approximately 95.35 (±1.48)% of removal efficiency at solution pH 8.0, CaFe2O4-PANI dose of 0.5 g/L, contact time of 20 min and initial VB dye concentration of 50 mg/L. The adsorption process follows pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model with a maximum uptake capacity of 266.67 mg/g. The adsorbent was also tested against surface and ground water sample loaded with VB dye and in presence of several ions. It was found that surface water has caused less interference (∼2 (±0.85)% reduction in VB dye removal efficiency) followed by ground water (∼4 (±0.91)% reduction) and wastewater (∼8 (±1.24)% reduction) and also the removal efficiencies are affected the most by bicarbonate ions (∼12 (±1.39)%–14 (±1.62)% reduction in VB dye removal efficiency). The experimental process was optimized utilizing a five level, three factor based response surface methodology (RSM) approach and the experimental parameters were optimized to CaFe2O4-PANI dosage = 0.5 g/L, contact time = 65 min and initial VB dye conc. = 60 mg/L, using the developed quadratic model to achieve a maximum VB removal efficiency of 98.63 (±2.13)%. Regeneration study suggests that the fabricated adsorbent can be reused up to five cycles with ∼10 (±1.13)% decrease in the VB dye removal efficiency.

Synthesis and characterization of copper ferrite nanocomposite from discarded printed circuit boards as an effective photocatalyst for Congo red dye degradation

The copper ferrite nanocomposite (CFN) was synthesized by solvothermal process in presence of leachate powder discarded printed circuit boards, ethylene glycol as a chelating agent, utilizing sodium hydroxide as precipitator at pH 12. The discarded PCBs contain excess amounts of precious metals, which makes them an attractive secondary resource. The synthesized CFN was characterized using XRD, SEM-EDS, UV–Vis, and FTIR. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the copper ferrite particles are spherical shape with the crystallite size in the range of 20–50 nm. The calculated lattice parameters are in agreement with the described values such as average particle size of 19 nm and 8 nm for CFN-10 and CFN-20 respectively. The Kubelka-Munk plot showed bandgaps of 3.20 eV and 3.17 eV respectively. CFN-10 and CFN-20 exhibited notable photocatalytic degradation towards carcinogenic Congo red dye under UV-light irradiation with 86.48 and 96.19% degradation rates within 120 min. Rendering to the findings of this research work, the synthesis of copper ferrite nanocomposites has a great potential for Congo red dye breakdown, which makes it an effective, low cost and environmentally suitable solution for the clean-up of waste water.