The role of polyethylene glycol on the microstructural, magnetic and specific absorption rate in thermoablation properties of Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles by sol–gel protocol

•Cubic spinel structure of PEGxMn0.5Zn0.5Fe2-xO4 NPs was synthesized by sol–gel.•Physicochemical properties essential for thermoablation in hyperthermia application are presented.•The PEGxMn0.5Zn0.5Fe2-xO4 NPs show ferromagnetic behavior.•The PEG tuned the properties of PEGxMn0.5Zn0.5Fe2-xO4 NPs with reduced SAR and heating rate.