Design strategies and emerging applications of MgCr2O4 nanomaterials in industrial and environmental technologies: A review

Magnesium chromite nanoparticles (MgCr 2 O 4 NPs) have attracted extensive research due to their unique structural, chemical, and physical properties, making them valuable for various applications. MgCr 2 O 4 NPs can be produced by several methods, including low-temperature, high-temperature, coprecipitation, hydrothermal, solid-state, sol-gel, solution combustion, and thermal treatment. These synthesis techniques are vital for tuning the properties of MgCr 2 O 4 NPs for targeted uses. Because MgCr 2 O 4 NPs exhibit excellent catalytic, magnetic, and thermal stability, they show great promise for diverse applications. They are frequently employed as heterogeneous catalysts in various processes, including pollutant degradation, hydrogenation, and oxidative dehydrogenation. Additionally, MgCr 2 O 4 NPs are attracting interest for energy storage, particularly in the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which serve as anodes and exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. They can also be used in ceramic materials because of their remarkable thermal resilience, advancing the development of high-temperature structural components. The magnetic properties of MgCr 2 O 4 NPs offer possibilities in magnetic storage devices, where their spinel structure plays a critical role. This review summarizes and discusses the latest developments in the synthesis, characterization, and application of MgCr 2 O 4 NPs. By highlighting the correlation between synthesis methods and the resulting properties, this paper underscores the multifunctionality of MgCr 2 O 4 NPs and their potential to revolutionize several industrial and environmental technologies.