Nd2Zr2O7 (neodymium zirconate) nanostructures have been successfully prepared by a modified Pechini approach utilizing succinic acid as novel stabilization agent and propane-1,2-diol as new cross-linking agent in presence of tetraethylenepentamine as novel pH regulator and co-capping agent. Type of pH regulator and propane-1,2-diol dosage have been changed to study the influence of preparation factors on the shape and size of neodymium zirconate. The obtained neodymium zirconate was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (Fr-IR) spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). To examine the catalytic characteristics of the obtained neodymium zirconate, the photocatalytic degradation of erythrosine and eriochrome black T dyes under ultraviolet illumination were performed. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.