Study of structural, morphological and magnetic properties of Ag substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles prepared by honey assisted combustion method and evaluation of their antibacterial activity

•Pure and Ag substituted CoFe2O4 were synthesized successfully.•The crystallite sizes of the synthesized and annealed powders are in the range of 24–41 nm.•The highest value of Ms (60 emu/g) was reported for CoFe2O4 with the coercivity value 1358 Oe.•The present cobalt and Ag doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles are showing good antibacterial activities.