Scientists of Zelinsky Institute synthesized superparamagnetic nanoparticles via microwave method
Recently, magnetic nanoparticles have attracted great interest: they are used to remove toxic impurities, and are applied in catalysis, electronics, and medicine. The most widely known magnetic materials are magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (Fe2O3). Various methods are used to obtain magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles, such as thermal decomposition of organic precursors, solvothermal and hydrothermal approaches, combustion synthesis, and chemical precipitation. A special place among the methods for the synthesis of magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles is occupied by microwave synthesis, which makes it possible to obtain nanoparticles with a narrower size distribution, to control the shape and structure of nanomaterials, to shorten the synthesis time, and to increase the crystallinity of the synthesized nanoparticles.
Researchers from laboratory № 14 of ZIOC RAS obtained a series of monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles coated with a hydrophilic humate polyanion as a stabilizer by the microwave method. The synthesized samples possess superparamagnetic properties with enhanced saturation magnetization, and are also stable in model infusion solutions, which allows them to be considered as candidates for use in biomedicine in vivo in efficient drug delivery. The results obtained will also be useful for materials scientists as an example of obtaining hydrophilic magnetic nanoparticles with specified physical properties.
Source:
Egor M. Kostyukhin, Vera D. Nissenbaum, Evgeny V. Abkhalimov, Alexander L. Kustov, Boris G. Ershov, and Leonid M. Kustov Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Humate-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles: Relation of Coating Process Parameters to the Properties of Nanoparticles Nanomaterials 2020, 10, 8, 1558, DOI: 10.3390/nano10081558