Magnetic and catalytic properties of copper ferrite nanopowders prepared by a microwave-induced combustion process

Copper ferrite nanopowders were successfully synthesized by a microwave-induced combustion process using copper nitrate, iron nitrate, and urea. The process only took a few minutes to obtain CuFe2O4 nanopowders. The resultant powders were investigated by XRD, SEM, VSM, and surface area measurement. The results revealed that the CuFe2O4 powders showed that the average particle size ranged from 300 to 600 nm. Also, it possessed a saturation magnetization of 21.16 emu/g, and an intrinsic coercive force of 600.84 Oe, whereas, upon annealing at 800 °C for 1 h. The CuFe2O4 powders specific surface area was 5.60 m2/g. Moreover, these copper ferrite magnetic nanopowders also acted as a catalyst for the oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol to synthesize 2,3,5-trimethylhydrogenquinone and 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone for the first time. On the basis of experimental evidence, a rational reaction mechanism is proposed to explain the results satisfactorily.