Optimizing co-precipitation parameters to achieve improved properties in CoFe2O4 nanoparticles doped with Zn2+ and Dy3+ using the Taguchi method

This research focuses on optimizing critical process parameters in cobalt ferrite nanoparticles doped with Zn²⁺ and Dy³⁺, synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Moreover, the combined effects of Zn²⁺ and Dy³⁺ content, OH concentration, calcination time and temperature, on the structural and magnetic properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated. An L25 orthogonal Taguchi array was employed to design the required experiments and analyze these effects. Experimental results revealed a crystallite size ranging from 11 to 75 nm and saturation magnetization from 44.9 to 78.4 emu/g. Following the analysis of the experimental data, it has been established that the calcination temperature can be the predominant factor influencing both the crystallite size and saturation magnetization. Furthermore, the optimized sample identified through the Taguchi method exhibited the highest saturation magnetization value, a homogeneous morphology, and uniform particle distribution. These favorable characteristics make it a promising candidate for biomedical applications, where uniformity and homogeneity are important factors to consider. Moreover, the enhanced antibacterial activity of the free-doped sample, attributed to its smaller particle size, underscores the heightened impact of nanoparticles on gram-negative bacteria compared to gram-positive bacteria, likely due to structural variations in cell wall composition.