One-step preparation, characterization, and anticancer potential of ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO nanocomposites

Zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs) have attracted extensive attention for their diverse applications including sensing, waste-water treatment, and biomedicine. The novelty of the present work is the fabrication of ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO NCs by using a one-step hydrothermal process to assess the influence of RGO doping on the physicochemical properties and anticancer efficacy of ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were employed to characterize prepared pure ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs and ZnFe(2)O(4)/ RGO NCs. XRD results showed that the synthesized samples have high crystallinity. Furthermore, the average crystal sizes of ZnFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs) and ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO nanocomposites (NCs) were 51.08 nm and 54.36 nm, respectively. SEM images revealed that pure ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs were spherical in shape with uniformly loaded on the surface of the RGO nanosheet. XPS and EDX analysis confirmed the elemental compositions of ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO NCs. Elemental mapping of SEM shows that the elemental compositions (Zn, Fe, O, and C) were homogeneously distributed in ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO NCs. The intensity of FT-IR spectra depicted that pure ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs were successfully anchored into the RGO nanosheet. An optical study suggested that the band gap energy of ZnFe(2)O(4)/RGO NCs (1.61 eV) was lower than that of pure ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs (1.96 eV). PL spectra indicated that the recombination rate of the ZnFe(2)O(4)/ RGO NCs was lower than ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs. MTT assay was used to evaluate the anticancer performance of ZnFe(2)O(4) /RGO NCs and pure ZnFe(2)O(4)NPs against human cancer cells. In vitro study indicates that ZnFe(2)O(4) /RGO NCs have higher anticancer activity against human breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cancer cells as compared to pure form ZnFe(2)O(4) NPs. This work suggests that RGO doping enhances the anticancer activity of ZnFe(2)O(4)NPs by tuning its optical behavior. This study warrants future research on potential therapeutic applications of these types of nanocomposites.