Comprehensive study of g-C3N4/ZnxMn1-xFe2O4 nanocomposites: From structural features to electrochemical and biological performance

초록

The g-C3N4/ZnxMn1-xFe2O4 nanocomposites (x = 0.1 and 0.3), denoted as GCZMF-1 and GCZMF-2, were successfully prepared and systematically examined to understand how variation in Zn content influences their structural features, electrochemical properties, and biological response. XRD patterns verified the simultaneous presence of g-C3N4, ZnFe2O4, and MnFe2O4 phases, with calculated crystallite sizes in the range of 7-18 nm, depending on composition. Morphological investigations using FESEM, TEM, and elemental mapping demonstrated that ferrite nanoparticles were uniformly anchored onto the layered g-C3N4 framework, forming a well-dispersed nanostructure with particle sizes around 16-18 nm and homogeneous elemental distribution. XPS confirmed the presence of C, N, O, Mn, Fe, and Zn elements, along with mixed valence states such as Mn2+/ Mn3+/Mn4+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ within the ferrite lattice, indicating complex redox-active centers. BET revealed mesoporous characteristics with Type-IV isotherms; GCZMF-1 displayed a comparatively higher specific surface area and pore volume than GCZMF-2. Magnetic measurements performed using a VSM showed super-paramagnetic behavior at room temperature for both samples. GCZMF-2 exhibited a slightly greater saturation magnetization (Ms = 32.53 emu center dot g-1) compared to GCZMF-1 (Ms = 30.44 emu center dot g-1), likely due to compositional differences affecting magnetic exchange interactions. Electrochemical evaluation indicated dominant pseudo-capacitive characteristics. GCZMF-2 demonstrated improved current response and better performance at higher scan rates or current densities, while GCZMF-1 provided higher specific capacitance (Cs) under low current density conditions. Biocompatibility valuations through MTT and Live/Dead assays confirmed that both nano-composites were non-cytotoxic toward mouse muscle fibroblast (BLO-11) and human pancreatic carcinoma (PANC-1) cell lines, maintaining cell viability above 80% even at elevated concentrations. Collectively, the findings highlight that GCZMF-1 and GCZMF-2 possess well-organized nanoscale architectures, favorable electrochemical activity, and good cytocompatibility, highlighting their potential for multifunctional applications spanning energy storage and biomedical fields.

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