Synthesis, Structural Insights, and Biomedical Evaluation of NiCoFe₂O₄ Nanoparticles for Antioxidant and Cancer...

The study aims to synthesize nickel-cobalt ferrite (NiCoFe₂O₄) nanoparticles with controlled Co/Ni precursor ratios and to evaluate how structural, surface, and electronic modifications influence their antioxidant and anticancer performance.

NiCoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized via a co-precipitation route using varying Ni²⁺/Co²⁺ concentrations (0.025-0.1 M). Structural, morphological, and surface analyses were carried out using X-Ray Diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. Biological functionality was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay for antioxidant activity and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay on MCF-7 breast cancer and L929 fibroblast cells for cytotoxicity evaluation.

All samples exhibited a single-phase cubic spinel structure with tunable crystallite size, lattice strain, and mesoporosity. Increasing Co/Ni concentration enhanced cation redistribution, mixed valence states, and pore-volume characteristics, improving redox-active surface behavior. Among all compositions, NC4 showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging efficiency and the strongest anticancer activity, reducing MCF-7 viability to ~ 20%-30% at 100 μg/mL while maintaining >80% viability in normal L929 cells.

Tailoring the Co/Ni precursor ratio effectively modulates the structural and surface characteristics of NiCoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles, leading to enhanced antioxidant capacity and selective anticancer activity. These findings establish NiCoFe₂O₄ as a promising candidate for biomedical applications, particularly in oxidative stress management and targeted cancer therapeutics.