en Research Paper Research Paper <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#222222"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><span style="text-decoration-thickness:initial"><span style="text-decoration-style:initial"><span style="text-decoration-color:initial"><span style="line-height:22px"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:24px"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">Nanomaterials have significantly transformed multiple scientific and technological fields due to their exceptional properties, which result from their quantum confinement effects and high surface-to-volume ratios. Among these materials, zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest because of their diverse applications.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#222222"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><span style="text-decoration-thickness:initial"><span style="text-decoration-style:initial"><span style="text-decoration-color:initial"><span style="line-height:22px"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:24px"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">In this study, TiO₂-ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized using varying calcination times of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 hours. Characterization of fabricated samples through X-ray diffraction (XRD)‌ spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) confirmed the successful fabrication of the nanocomposites. In this regard, XRD analysis revealed anatase TiO₂&nbsp;and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phases. Raman spectroscopy also supported these findings, identifying characteristic peaks of both TiO₂&nbsp;and ZnO.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#222222"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><span style="text-decoration-thickness:initial"><span style="text-decoration-style:initial"><span style="text-decoration-color:initial"><span style="line-height:22px"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:24px"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">The calcination time had a minimal effect on the crystal structures and also morphology of the nanocomposites, which gave rise to its negligible impact on optical properties and biological activities of the samples. Optical properties assessed by means of UV-visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy showed consistent band gap absorption and emission profiles across all samples, among which the nanocomposite calcined for 1 hour exhibited the best optical properties.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="color:#222222"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-variant-ligatures:normal"><span style="font-weight:400"><span style="white-space:normal"><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><span style="text-decoration-thickness:initial"><span style="text-decoration-style:initial"><span style="text-decoration-color:initial"><span style="line-height:22px"><span style="unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:24px"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><span style="color:black">The sample prepared at 1 hour not only showed the most favorable optical properties, but also demonstrated significant antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activities, which make it suitable for various applications. In this regard, a reduction of more than 99.9% occurred in the number of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and also Candida albicans fungus by using TiO₂-ZnO nanocomposite. Besides, addition of 500 &micro;g/ml of nanocomposite decreased the cell viability to 34.47%, which signifies its high cytotoxicity activity.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> <br> &nbsp; Keywords: TiO2-ZnO nanocomposite,Calcination time,Zinc oxide,Titanium dioxide,Antibacterial activities 37 50 http://ijmse.iust.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-5538-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Adil Kadum Shakir nnanoscale@gmail.com 1800319475328460019581 1800319475328460019581 Yes 1Faculty of Physics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran Ebrahim Ghanbari-Adivi info@nano-meter.ir 1800319475328460019582 1800319475328460019582 No 1Faculty of Physics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran Aref S. Baron Baron nanoteach2022@yahoo.com 1800319475328460019583 1800319475328460019583 No 2Faculty of Physics, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq Morteza Soltani nanosucses2023@yahoo.com 1800319475328460019584 1800319475328460019584 No 1Faculty of Physics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan 8174673441, Iran