Protective Coating of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

• DOI: 10.1021/cm021349j
• Publication Date: 2003-04-15T05:25:50Z
• Authors: Do Kyung Kim; Maria Mikhaylova; Yu Zhang; Mamoun Muhammed
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Magnetic nanoparticles are becoming increasingly important for several biomedical applications. For example, superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles with suitable bio-compatible coatings are useful in magnetic resonance imaging, tissue engineering, and drug delivery, etc. In this study we report the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles and the further coating of these particles by several types of protective layers. Thermodynamic modeling of the chemical system has been adopted as a rational approach to establish routes to better synthesis conditions for pure phase magnetite. Quantitative analysis of different reaction equilibria involved in the precipitation of magnetite from aqueous solutions has been used to determine optimum synthesis conditions. Superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (SPION) with diameters of 6 and 12 nm have been prepared by controlled chemical coprecipitation of magnetite phase from aqueous solutions containing suitable salts of Fe2+ and Fe3+ under inert atmosphere. Pure magne...