xO4 Nanoparticles Research Articles

Composition tunable manganese-doped magnetite microwave absorber composites for radio frequency identification communication

The performance of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags deteriorates in transmitting/receiving characteristics when the tags are mounted on conductive substances such as metals due to the interference from the metal reflected electromagnetic waves. In this work, the manganese-doped magnetite (MnXFe3−XO4 (0 ≤ X ≤ 1)) nanoparticles with different manganese contents are synthesized by the one-pot sol-gel method for the application of microwave absorber. The effects of Mn doping on the morphology, microstructure, dielectric and magnetic properties, and microwave absorption ability of MnXFe3−XO4 nanoparticles are investigated. The saturation magnetization and dielectric and magnetic losses of MnXFe3−XO4 nanoparticles enhance as the Mn doping increases, and achieve the maximum when X = 0.50, and decrease as the Mn doping further continues to augment. At the optimized value of X = 0.50, the reflection and transmission losses are measured to be 17.51 and 3.88 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the nanoparticles are mixed with polytetrafluoroethylene powder and hot-pressed into a composite mat to demonstrate its application as microwave absorber. When the composite mat is inserted between the RFID tag and metal surface, the RFID tag recovers the read count by 86%, which is due to the high absorption ability (80.77%) of the composite mat. Therefore, the composition tunable MnXFe3−XO4 nanoparticles can be a potential candidate for the application of microwave absorber in wireless communication and electronic industries.

Computational Study Regarding CoxFe3-xO4 Ferrite Nanoparticles with Tunable Magnetic Properties in Superparamagnetic Hyperthermia for Effective Alternative Cancer Therapy.

The efficacy in superparamagnetic hyperthermia (SPMHT) and its effectiveness in destroying tumors without affecting healthy tissues depend very much on the nanoparticles used. Considering the results previously obtained in SPMHT using magnetite and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, in this paper we extend our study on CoxFe3−xO4 nanoparticles for x = 0–1 in order to be used in SPMHT due to the multiple benefits in alternative cancer therapy. Due to the possibility of tuning the basic observables/parameters in SPMHT in a wide range of values by changing the concentration of Co2+ ions in the range 0–1, the issue explored by us is a very good strategy for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of magnetic hyperthermia of tumors and reducing the toxicity levels. In this paper we studied by computational simulation the influence of Co2+ ion concentration in a very wide range of values (x = 0–1) on the specific loss power (Ps) in SPMHT and the nanoparticle diameter (DM) which leads to the maximum specific loss power (PsM). We also determined the maximum specific loss power for the allowable biological limit (PsM)l which doesn’t affect healthy tissues, and how it influences the change in the concentration of Co2+ ions. Based on the results obtained, we established the values for concentrations (x), nanoparticle diameter (DM), amplitude (H) and frequency (f) of the magnetic field for which SPMHT with CoxFe3−xO4 nanoparticles can be applied under optimal conditions within the allowable biological range. The obtained results allow the obtaining a maximum efficacy in alternative and non-invasive tumor therapy for the practical implementation of SPMHT with CoxFe3−xO4 nanoparticles.

Effect of Ce3+ Ions Doped NiFe₂O₄ Magnetic Nanoparticles on Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B and Antibacterial Activities.

In this study, spinel NiCexFe2-XO₄ (x = 0.0 - 0.5) nanoparticles (NPs) was synthesized by microwave combustion technique (MCT) utilizing the fuel of Aloe vera plant extract. The establishment of spinel cubic crystal structure was ensured by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique. The particles like nanostructured morphology were confirmed by high-resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM). Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) studies confirmed the formation of spinel ferrite structure and ensured that no other elements were present. Magnetic parameters such as remanant magnetisation (Mr), coercivity (He) and saturation magnetization (Ms) were calculated from the magnetic hysteresis (M-H) loops, which exhibited ferromagnetic behaviour. The photocatalytic behavior was investigated by visible light treatment for the photocatalytic degradation (PCD) of rhodamine B (Rh-B) dye and the sample NiCe0.3Fe1.7O₄ exhibits higher PCD efficiency (93.88%) than other compositions. The antibacterial activities of gram-positive S. aureus, B. subtilis, gramnegative K. pneumonia and E. coli have been investigated using undoped and Ce3+ substituted NiFe₂O₄ NPs and observed higher activity, which indicated that, they can be used in the bio-medical applications.

Size and doping effects on the improvement of the low-temperature magnetic properties of magnetically aligned cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

The macroscopic magnetic behavior of nanoparticulated systems is the result of several contributions, ranging from the intrinsic structural properties of the nanoparticles to their spatial arrangement within the material. Unravelling and understanding these influences is an important task to produce nano-systems with improved properties for specific technological applications. In this work we study how the magnetic behavior of a set of magnetically hard nanoparticles can be improved by the modification of the sample arrangement (either randomly or magnetically oriented) and the nature of the enclosing matrices. At first, we employed a hot-injection, continuous growth strategy to synthesize non-stoichiometric cobalt ferrite (CoxFe3−xO4) nanoparticles. We prepared five batches of hydrophobic, oleate-coated samples, with mean diameters of 8 nm, 12 nm, 16 nm and variable Co-to-Fe proportions. The structural characterization confirms that the nanoparticles have a spinel-type monocrystalline structure and that the Co and Fe ions are homogenously distributed within the system. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were measured by DC magnetometry, and we found that the strategy used in this work to create a system of magnetically oriented nanoparticles can lead to a significant remanence and coercive field enhancement at low temperatures when compared with randomly oriented and fixed systems. The modification of the magnetic properties was detected in the five batches of samples, but the strength of the enhancement depends on both size and composition of the nanoparticles. Indeed, for the “hardest” samples the coercive field of the magnetically oriented systems reached values of around 30 kOe (3 T), which represents a 50% increase regarding the randomly oriented system and are among the highest reported to date for a set of Fe and Co oxide nanoparticles.

Effect of annealing temperature on optical, dielectric and NH3 gas sensing properties of ZnxFe3−xO4 (x = 0 and 0.5) nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel auto-combustion method

The effect of annealing temperature and Zn doping on structural, magnetic, optical, dielectric, and gas sensing properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have been investigated. For this purpose, ZnxFe3−xO4 (x = 0 and 0.5) nanoparticles have been synthesized using sol-gel auto-combustion method. The samples are annealed at 200, 400, and 500 °C temperatures for 6 h. With the increase in annealing temperature, for x = 0, the transition from Fe3O4 (magnetite, cubic) to α-Fe2O3 (hematite, rhombohedral) phase is confirmed from the XRD analysis. With Zn doping, independent of annealing temperatures, for ZnxFe3−xO4 nanoparticles, the cubic spinel structure is evidently observed. The lattice constant of iron oxide nanoparticles increases with Zn2+ doping. With increase in annealing temperature and with Zn doping in iron oxide nanoparticles, the particle size decreases from 63.89 nm to 29.25 nm. With the increase in annealing temperature and doping with Zn in iron oxide, the reduction in the band gap is observed. Dielectric properties of synthesized ZnxFe3−xO4 (x = 0 and 0.5) nanoparticles have been investigated as a function of frequency. At room temperature, the sensitivity (%) as a function of flow rate have been investigated and observed that ZnxFe3−xO4 (x = 0 and 0.5) nanoparticles annealed at 500 °C achieved the highest sensitivity towards NH3 gas. For Zn doped iron oxide nanoparticles, the enhanced sensitivity is attributed to smaller particle size and increased specific surface area as compared to that of host nanoparticles.

Influence of Ce3+ Substitution on Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Properties of ZnCexFe2-xO4 Nanoparticles (X = 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08) Conjugated with Ebselen and Its Role Subsidised with γ-Radiation in Mitigating Human TNBC and Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Proliferation In Vitro.

Cancers are a major challenge to health worldwide. Spinel ferrites have attracted attention due to their broad theranostic applications. This study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anticancer activities of ebselen (Eb) and cerium-nanoparticles (Ce-NPs) in the form of ZnCexFe2−XO4 on human breast and colon cancer cell lines. Bioassays of the cytotoxic concentrations of Eb and ZnCexFe2−XO4, oxidative stress and inflammatory milieu, autophagy, apoptosis, related signalling effectors, the distribution of cells through the cell-cycle phases, and the percentage of cells with apoptosis were evaluated in cancer cell lines. Additionally, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential have been investigated against different pathogenic microbes. The ZOI, and MIC results indicated that ZnCexFe2−XO4; X = 0.06 specimen reduced the activity of a wide range of bacteria and unicellular fungi at low concentration including P. aeruginosa (9.5 mm; 6.250 µg/mL), S. aureus (13.2 mm; 0.390 µg/mL), and Candida albicans (13.5 mm; 0.195 µg/mL). Reaction mechanism determination indicated that after ZnCexFe2−xO4; X = 0.06 treatment, morphological differences in S. aureus were apparent with complete lysis of bacterial cells, a concomitant decrease in the viable number, and the growth of biofilm was inhibited. The combination of Eb with ZFO or ZnCexFe2−XO4 with γ-radiation exposure showed marked anti-proliferative efficacy in both cell lines, through modulating the oxidant/antioxidant machinery imbalance, restoring the fine-tuning of redox status, and promoting an anti-inflammatory milieu to prevent cancer progression, which may be a valuable therapeutic approach to cancer therapy and as a promising antimicrobial agent to reduce the pathogenic potential of the invading microbes.

The Effect of Precursor Concentration on the Particle Size, Crystal Size, and Optical Energy Gap of CexSn1-xO2 Nanofabrication.

In the present work, a thermal treatment technique is applied for the synthesis of CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticles. Using this method has developed understanding of how lower and higher precursor values affect the morphology, structure, and optical properties of CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticles. CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticle synthesis involves a reaction between cerium and tin sources, namely, cerium nitrate hexahydrate and tin (II) chloride dihydrate, respectively, and the capping agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The findings indicate that lower x values yield smaller particle size with a higher energy band gap, while higher x values yield a larger particle size with a smaller energy band gap. Thus, products with lower x values may be suitable for antibacterial activity applications as smaller particles can diffuse through the cell wall faster, while products with higher x values may be suitable for solar cell energy applications as more electrons can be generated at larger particle sizes. The synthesized samples were profiled via a number of methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). As revealed by the XRD pattern analysis, the CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticles formed after calcination reflect the cubic fluorite structure and cassiterite-type tetragonal structure of CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticles. Meanwhile, using FT-IR analysis, Ce-O and Sn-O were confirmed as the primary bonds of ready CexSn1−xO2 nanoparticle samples, whilst TEM analysis highlighted that the average particle size was in the range 6−21 nm as the precursor concentration (Ce(NO3)3·6H2O) increased from 0.00 to 1.00. Moreover, the diffuse UV-visible reflectance spectra used to determine the optical band gap based on the Kubelka–Munk equation showed that an increase in x value has caused a decrease in the energy band gap and vice versa.

Structural and magnetic investigation of Cr3+ substitution on Zn–Co ferro-spinel nanoparticles

Herein, the work aims at providing an insight to the effect of Cr3+ ion substitution on structural and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline zinc doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles. The formation of single phase Cr substituted Zn–Co (Zn0.5Co0.5CrxFe2−xO4) nanoparticles consisting of Fd3̄m space group with crystallite size ranging from 37 to 45 nm is confirmed by X-ray Diffraction. The cation distribution calculated using Reitvield refinement confirmed that Cr3+ ion prefers the octahedral site. The desired stoichiometric ratio of the elements is confirmed using Energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The Infra Red spectra unveiled the presence of two absorption bands i.e. tetrahedral and octahedral bands, associated with spinel ferrites. The magnetic behaviour of Cr substituted Zn–Co system with the increment in Cr concentration is analyzed using Vibrating sample magnetometer technique and is further pursued using Mossbauer spectroscopy. The correlation between cation distribution and magnetic behaviour of the system is also discussed in detail.

Link between Structural and Optical Properties of CoxFe3–xO4 Nanoparticles and Thin Films with Different Co/Fe Ratios

CoxFe3–xO4 nanoparticles (x = 0.4 to x = 2.5) and thin films (x = 0.9 to x = 2.2) are analyzed by Raman, absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy to link structural and optical properties to different cobalt to iron (Co/Fe) ratios. Raman spectroscopy shows that with decreasing Co content, the crystal structure changes from a predominantly normal cubic spinel phase to a mixed inverse spinel phase. This finding is supported by absorption spectroscopy that points out that inter valence charge transfer (IVCT) processes between octahedrally coordinated Co2+ and Fe3+ cations become more prominent with increasing Fe content. Independent of the Co/Fe ratio, CoxFe3–xO4 nanoparticles show a broad photoluminescence (PL) band with a maximum at around 510 nm. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy shows subnanosecond lifetimes and temperature-resolved photoluminescence experiments reveal that the green PL increases with decreasing temperature (300 to 10 K) while showing no temperature-dependent shift in energy. It is proposed that this green PL originates from OH-groups on the particles’ surface.

Boost antimicrobial effect of CTAB-capped NixCu1−xO (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanoparticles by reformed optical and dielectric characters

Boost antimicrobial effect of CTAB-capped NixCu1−xO (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanoparticles by reformed optical and dielectric characters

Facile synthesis of Zr4+ substituted Mn0.2Co0.8Fe2−xO4 nanoparticles and their composites with reduced graphene oxide for enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation

The increasing worldwide pollution of water resources with dyes has emphasized the need to develop highly versatile and effective approaches for their remediation. In this study, zirconium substituted manganese cobalt ferrite (Mn0.2Co0.8ZrxFe2−xO4) nanoparticles, and their composites with reduced graphene oxide (Mn0.2Co0.8ZrxFe2−xO4/rGO) were synthesized and used as effective photocatalyst materials for the degradation of dyes. X-ray diffraction analysis was executed to probe the cubic spinel structures of nanoparticles in the size range of 18–24 nm. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed the formation of spherical shaped nanoparticles and their dispersion on the exfoliated surface of rGO. The saturation magnetization and remanence of samples decreased from 57.23 to 24.16 emu/g and 27.68–13.98 emu/g respectively while the coercivity of samples increased from 1067.76 Oe to 1616.97 Oe due to the incorporation of non-magnetic Zr4+ into the lattice. The BET surface area of nanoparticles and nanocomposites lies in the range of 47.52–78.33 m2/g, while the average pore size was found to be 2.48–21.43 nm. The degradation performance of as-prepared nanoparticles and nanocomposites was evaluated against Alizarin Yellow R (AYR) dye under visible light irradiation. Mn0.2Co0.8ZrxFe2−xO4/rGO nanocomposites showed higher degradation performance and 92.49% dye degradation was achieved in 70 min, while in the case of Mn0.2Co0.8ZrxFe2−xO4 nanoparticles 52.45% dye was degraded in 120 min. The effects of different operational parameters on the degradation performance of nanocomposites were investigated thoroughly. The higher photodegradation of nanocomposites was attributed to the large surface area and less magnetization, making them potential candidates for their applications in water purification.

Effect of zinc substitution on the growth morphology of ZnO-CuO tenorite solid solutions

ZnxCu1−xO nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave heating of hydroxide mixtures to form single-phase tenorite crystallites with compositions of up to x ≈ 0.12 zinc concentration, after which formation of wurtzite ZnO was also observed. The lattice parameters, determined by Reitveld refinement of the x-ray diffraction data, showed a linear relationship in zinc concentration, a phenomenon known as Vegard’s Law which is generally taken as an indication of homogeneous cation distribution. Substitution of zinc for copper in the tenorite structure affects the particle growth kinetics, which results in a morphological change from plate-like in pure CuO to smaller, needle-like crystallites for compositions emerging at approximately Zn0.025Cu0.975O. The needle-like particles form as a result of imperfect oriented attachment in two dimensions, with the third dimension controlled by the initial hydroxide condensation step. When the concentration of zinc is increased to x = 0.075, imperfect oriented attachment occurs in three dimensions, which yields particles with flower morphologies.

IrxRu1−xO2 Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

IrxRu1−xO2 Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Properties for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Novel Magnetic Nanohybrids: From Iron Oxide to Iron Carbide Nanoparticles Grown on Nanodiamonds

The synthesis and characterization of a new line of magnetic hybrid nanostructured materials composed of spinel-type iron oxide to iron carbide nanoparticles grown on nanodiamond nanotemplates is reported in this study. The realization of these nanohybrid structures is achieved through thermal processing under vacuum at different annealing temperatures of a chemical precursor, in which very fine maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles seeds were developed on the surface of the nanodiamond nanotemplates. It is seen that low annealing temperatures induce the growth of the maghemite nanoparticle seeds to fine dispersed spinel-type non-stoichiometric ~5 nm magnetite (Fe3−xO4) nanoparticles, while intermediate annealing temperatures lead to the formation of single phase ~10 nm cementite (Fe3C) iron carbide nanoparticles. Higher annealing temperatures produce a mixture of larger Fe3C and Fe5C2 iron carbides, triggering simultaneously the growth of large-sized carbon nanotubes partially filled with these carbides. The magnetic features of the synthesized hybrid nanomaterials reveal the properties of their bearing magnetic phases, which span from superparamagnetic to soft and hard ferromagnetic and reflect the intrinsic magnetic properties of the containing phases, as well as their size and interconnection, dictated by the morphology and nature of the nanodiamond nanotemplates. These nanohybrids are proposed as potential candidates for important technological applications in nano-biomedicine and catalysis, while their synthetic route could be further tuned for development of new magnetic nanohybrid materials.

The effect of Ce3+ doping on structural, optical, ferromagnetic resonance, and magnetic properties of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles

Herein, we used the ultrasound irradiation to assist the sol–gel method for the synthesis of spinel ZnCexFe2 − xO4 nanoparticles. The patterns obtained from energy dispersive x-rays (EDX) analysis and elements mapping demonstrate the appropriate elemental stoichiometry and spatial distribution in the prepared samples. The Rietveld refinement patterns revealed the successful synthesis of the cubic-structured ZnFe2 − xCexO4 without any secondary phases. The crystallite size of ZnFe2 − xCexO4 ranged from 7 to 11 nm. Also, the optical bandgap for ZnFe2 − xCexO4 decreased from 2.1 eV to 1.77 eV. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to study the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) characteristics of the ZnFe2 − xCexO4 samples. The resonance field was increased from 3362.65 Gauss to 3401.76 Gauss, while the line width decreased from 598.90 to 455.72 Gauss. The saturation magnetization was enhanced from 2.43 emu/g for x = 0.00 to 9.38 emu/g for x = 0.02. In addition, the values of coercivity (Hc) and remanence magnetization (Mr) were significantly lowered. The great value of saturation magnetization together with low values of Hc and Mr of Ce3+-substituted Zn ferrites makes them potential candidates for the microwave absorption field.

Effect of Al3+/Si4+ codoping on the structural, optoelectronic and UV sensing properties of ZnO

Abstract

The significant role of the glycine‐nitrate ratio on the physicochemical properties of CoxZn1−xO nanoparticles

AbstractIn this study, CoxZn1−xO (X = 0, 0.06, 0.18, 0.36, 0.54, and 1) nanoparticles were synthesized by one‐step solution combustion synthesis method. The critical role of X values and fuel (glycine)‐to‐oxidizer (F/O) ratios (0.75, 1, and 1.25) were investigated on the physicochemical properties of synthesized particles. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that by increasing the X molar fraction, up to 0.36 mol. %, at the F/O ratios of 0.75, 1, and 1.25, crystallite size decreases from 31 to 26, 39 to 31, and 64 to 43 nm, respectively. ZnO‐Co3O4 mixed oxide nanopowders were directly crystallized at X = 0.54 in all F/O ratios. Semi‐quantification evaluations of XRD results showed that the F/O ratio had a direct effect on the quantities of the crystallized and the content of the amorphous phases. According to the vibrating sample magnetometer analysis results (VSM), the greatest magnetization saturation (Ms) value of 30 emu/g was obtained at X = 1 and F/O ratio of 1.25. Calorimetry analysis revealed that by increasing the content of the doping agent, ie, cobalt ion, up to the molar fraction of 0.18, dark green color is observed in the specimens, and the deepest green color was obtained at F/O = 1.

Research on microstructure and catalysis effects on hydrogen storage alloy of nanosized three ions co‐doped Ce 1−3 x Cu x Fe x Zn x O 2

Ce1−3xCu xFe xZn xO2 nano-particles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The micro-structure, spectra features and catalysis effects on hydrogen storage alloy of Ce1−3xCu xFe xZn xO2 were studied. It was researched that the dopants were inserted into the lattice of CeO2 and the solid solubility x was identified as 0.05. The oxygen vacancies contents and degree of lattice distortion were improved, and the band gap energies were decreased. The hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics of Mg60La10Ni20-5 mol%Ce1−3xCu xFe xZn xO2 composites were evaluated. The results showed that the catalysts effects were improved by enhancing the doped concentrations. The catalysis mechanism was related with the microstructure and micro-electronic structure of the catalysts.

Detailed magnetic characteristics of cobalt ferrite (CoxFe3−xO4) nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of PVP surfactant

While Co ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely considered for potential applications in magnetic storage, photocatalysts, and hyperthermia, significantly less attention has been paid to explore their detailed magnetic characteristics as a function of the Co content. Herein, a hydrothermal method was successfully used for the preparation of CoxFe3−xO4 (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 2) NPs, employing stable ferric and cobalt salts with PVP surfactant as a capping agent. Hysteresis loop measurements showed maximum coercivity (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) of 982 Oe and 46 emu/g for Co0.5Fe2.5O4 and CoFe2O4 compounds, respectively. Detailed magnetic characteristics of the resulting NPs with different morphologies ranging from nanocubes to dense nanospheres were comprehensively investigated by first-order reversal curve analysis. It was found that CoxFe3−xO4 (0.5 ≤ x < 1) NPs with both spinel and hematite phases comprise noticeable hard and soft phases, whereas superparamagnetic phase starts to dominate magnetic behavior of CoxFe3−xO4 (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) NPs with reduced grain size and pure spinel phase.

Engineering the MxZn1−xO (M = Al3+, Fe3+, Cr3+) nanoparticles for visible light-assisted catalytic mineralization of methylene blue dye using Taguchi design

Here, we developed a sustainable solution to address the water pollution especially due to organic dye industries. Visible light-activated catalytic degradation of aqueous solution of methylene blue (MB) dye was studied by using trivalent metal ion-doped ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst. The nano-photocatalysts were synthesized by microwave-irradiated solution combustion method using d-glucose as a fuel. Various experimental parameters were optimized using Taguchi design of experiment, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Grey relational analysis in order to obtain potential ZnO photocatalyst. Using ANOVA and Grey relation analysis, the optimum conditions were estimated that 5.5 mol% Cr3+-doped ZnO with 4 min MW heating and calcined at 450 °C, which shows very impressing photo-catalytic property. The ANOVA confirms that the calcination temperature and dopants significantly influence crystallite size with contribution factor of 42.28% and 40.02%, respectively. The band gap energy of the photocatalyst was largely influenced by a type of dopant with contribution 85.77%. Grey relational grading indicates that the 5.5% Al3+ doping, 4 min MW heat treatment, 450 °C calcination temperature to get lesser band gap (3.05 eV) and smaller crystallite size (46.96 nm). As compared with other L9 orthogonal array, the degradation efficiency is found to be higher (89.31%) on the Grey theory predication result for MB dye. Herewith, we strongly confirm that the Taguchi design was an promising tool in engineering the ZnO photocatalyst with a very less experimental trials and cost saving approach.