Novel Gd3+ doped Cr2O3 nanomaterials were successfully prepared by impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, TEM, EDS, UV-vis and N-2 adsorption. XRD data showed that the particles were crystalline and the Gd3+-doping enhanced the decreasing the crystallite size of Cr2O3 nanomaterial. Optical studies for pure and Gd3+ doped Cr2O3 nanomaterials exhibited blue shift compared with that of bulk Cr2O3 due to quantum confined exciton absorption. The surface areas of all doped nanomaterials were increased by more than 80% compared to pure Cr2O3 catalyst because of higher nitrogen adsorption capacity. It was observed that the presence of Gd3+ ion as a dopant significantly promoted the ethanol oxidation and ethylene production for Cr2O3 catalyst. In this study, the optimum amount of Gd3+-doping was 1 mol%, which had the smallest crystallite size, the highest surface area and much blue shift in UV-vis spectra, and thereby the highest catalytic activity was achieved. Meanwhile, the pure and highly active Gd3+ doped Cr2O3 nanomaterials (1 mol%) were applied for antitumor activity toward Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma cell line. Moreover, the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) was 50 and 33.5 mu g/mL, respectively. (C) 2016 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.