Surfactant‐Enhanced Nano Spinel Oxide for Applications in Catalysis, Dye Degradation and Antibacterial Activity

Novel surfactant supported Mn−Co−Ni oxide was effectively synthesized by simple and economic co‐precipitation method to investigate the efficiency of catalytic reduction of 4‐nitrophenol, degradation of methylene blue and antibacterial properties. The optical, structural and chemical compositions were cautiously analyzed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X‐ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses. XRD analysis showed cubic structure with average crystallite size of 19–21 nm. FESEM images confirmed the combination of spherical, needle, plate and rod like shapes. Accordingly, a high specific surface area of 55.66 m2 g−1 was achieved by urea/Mn−Co−Ni oxide. Band gap of ternary metal oxide was found in the range of 3.4‐3.6 eV. The XPS analysis confirmed the presence of manganese, cobalt and nickel as major parts with a 2p core level region. The M−O bond formation was confirmed by the peak appeared in the range of 500–600 cm−1. The negative charge of ternary metal oxide was confirmed by negative zeta potential value. The reduction of 4‐nitrophenol was carried out by Mn−Co−Ni oxide with the efficiency of >99 % and the degradation efficiency against methylene blue was studied. The synthesized catalyst was potent against S. aureus at higher concentration. Easy, low‐cost, eco‐friendly Mn−Co−Ni oxide by co‐precipitation using structural directing agents for surface morphology efficiently. Structural changes strongly enriched physicochemical characteristics. Multiple oxidation states and rich amount of Mn2+, Co3+ and Ni2+ for well stable spinel architecture improved the performance of 4‐NP reduction, photo‐catalytic, antibacterial applications.