Design and Synthesis of Fe3O4-Loaded Polymer Microspheres with Controlled Morphology

• DOI: 10.3390/polym17070865
• Publication Date: 2025-03-25T16:18:52Z
• Authors: Talya Scheff; Florence Acha; Nathalia Diaz Armas; Sevil Turkoglu; Jinde Zhang

A novel approach for synthesizing polymer particles that encapsulate Fe3O4 nanoparticles using γ-ray irradiated mini-emulsion polymerization is presented. To achieve high encapsulation efficiency, the surface properties of Fe3O4 nanoparticles are modified from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, allowing for effective dispersion in the monomer prior to polymerization. Mini-emulsion techniques have proven essential for forming the encapsulated structure and controlling particle size distribution. γ-ray irradiation initiated radical polymerization and solidified the emulsion structure. Characterization via FTIR, XRD, and TEM confirmed the successful encapsulation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles within polymer particles. Magnetic measurements demonstrated superparamagnetic behavior and high magnetic induction, both of which are properties considered advantageous for biomedical applications.