Photodynamic therapy, facile synthesis, and effect of sintering temperature on the structure, morphology, optical properties, and anticancer activity of Co3O4 nanocrystalline materials in the HepG2 cell line

[Display omitted] •Co3O4 NCMs were synthesized using a sol-gel protocol and then calcined at various temperatures.•Anticancer activity of Co3O4 nanocrystalline materials (NCMs), annealed at various temperatures in the HepG2.•Increased annealing temperature of Co3O4 NCMs resulted in decreased cytotoxicity, due to an increase in NCM diameter.•The optimized form (30 μg ml−1) of Co3O4, annealed at 700 °C, caused the highest loss in liver carcinoma cell viability.•Our experimental findings were verified by developing a mathematical model for annealed Co3O4 NCMs at various temperatures. This research project focused on the assessment of the anticancer activity of Co3O4 nanocrystalline materials (NCMs), annealed at various temperatures in the HepG2 (liver hepatocellular carcinoma) cell line. Co3O4 NCMs were synthesized using a sol-gel protocol and then calcined at various temperatures. The structure, morphology, and purity of synthesized nanocrystalline materials and their optical properties were studied via various material analysis techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, UV/Vis, and Raman spectroscopy. The anticancer activity of cobalt oxide nanocrystalline materials (Co3O4 NCMs) were explored in human liver carcinoma by performing and optimizing photodynamic therapy (PDT) through a variety of specific steps. This included the labeling of liver cancer cells with various concentrations at several different incubation times. Additionally, light-induced PDT was employed to assess the phototoxic effects of synthesized nanocrystalline materials in HepG2 cells. Here, we established optimized conditions for this novel therapeutic approach by highlighting the temperature-dependent toxicity of Co3O4 NCMs as a means to improve current PDT standards and precision. Our experimental findings were verified by developing and analyzing a mathematical model to describe annealed Co3O4 NCMs at various temperatures, and the results of this modeling agreed strongly with our experimental data.