Synthesis of Multifunctional Eu(III) Complex Doped Fe3O4/Au Nanocomposite for Dual Photo-Magnetic Hyperthermia and Fluorescence Bioimaging.

In this paper, the luminescent complex Eu(3-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate)3 was integrated with Fe3O4 and gold (Au) nanoparticles to form a multifunctional nanocomposite, Fe3O4/Au/Eu(TTA)3 (FOASET NC), for dual magnetic-photothermal therapy and biomedical imaging. Upon functionalization with amine-NH2, the FOASET NC exhibits a small size of 60-70 nm and strong, sharp emission at λmax = 614 nm, enhanced by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au nanoparticles that provided an effective label for HT29 colorectal cancer cells by fluorescence microscopy imaging. In addition, a hyperthermia temperature (42-46 °C) was completely achieved by using these FOASET NCs in an aqueous solution with three heating modes for (i) Magnetic therapy (MT), (ii) Photothermal therapy (PT), and (iii) Dual magnetic-photothermal therapy (MPT). The heating efficiency was improved in the dual magnetic-photothermal heating mode.

Structural, optical, magnetic properties and energy-band structure of MFe2O4 (M = Co, Fe, Mn) nanoferrites prepared by co-precipitation technique.

MFe2O4 (M = Co, Fe, Mn) nanoparticles were successfully formed through the chemical co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis were used to investigate samples' structural properties. The investigated structural properties included phases formed, crystallite size, cation distribution, hopping length, bond length, bond angle, edge length, and shared and unshared octahedral edge length. Scanning electron micrographs of the prepared samples demonstrated well-defined crystalline nanoparticles. The grain diameter was 15, 9, and 34 nm for CoFe2O4, Fe3O4, and MnFe2O4, respectively. The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the existence of every element (Co, Fe, and O) and no discernible impurities in the samples. The optical properties were studied in detail through photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The presence of active modes in Raman spectra confirmed the spinel structure of the MFe2O4 nanoparticles. The direct bandgap energy estimated through UV-visible spectroscopy was about 2.59-2.64 eV, corresponding with the energy-band structures of the octahedral site (1.70 eV) and the tetrahedral site (0.9 eV). This result was further confirmed by PL emission spectra. Based on Mie theory and UV-visible and PL spectral data, the mechanism of photothermal characterization for MFe2O4 nanoparticles was determined. Investigating the changes in temperature of magnetic parameters including coercivity, squareness ratio, and saturation magnetization for MFe2O4 samples showed the dominant influence of ion distribution and A-A, A-B, and B-B exchange interactions. This study also showed that strong anisotropy and weak dipolar interaction tended to increase the coercivity and squareness ratio of CoFe2O4. Conversely, weaker anisotropy and stronger dipolar interaction corresponded with the small coercivity and squareness ratio of Fe3O4 and MnFe2O4 samples.

Determination of the crystalline size of hexagonal La1-xSrxMnO3 (x = 0.3) nanoparticles from X-ray diffraction - a comparative study.

The electronic, magnetic, optical and elastic properties of nanomaterials are governed partially by the crystallite size and crystal defects. Here, the crystalline size of hexagonal La1-xSrxMnO3 (x = 0.3) nanoparticles was determined using various methods. Single-phase La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanopowders were produced after 10 h of milling in a commercial high-energy SPEX 8000D shaker mill, and then they were heated at 700 °C and 800 °C to study the effect of calcined temperature on the crystallization of nanoparticles. The modified Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, size-strain, and Halder-Wagner methods were used to determine the crystallite sizes and the elastic properties, such as intrinsic strain, stress, and energy density, from the X-ray diffraction peak broadening analysis. The obtained results were then compared with one another. The difference in crystallite sizes calculated from the different methods was due to the different techniques.

Multifunctional nanocarriers of Fe3O4@PLA-PEG/curcumin for MRI, magnetic hyperthermia and drug delivery.

Background: Despite medicinal advances, cancer is still a big problem requiring better diagnostic and treatment tools. Magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-based nanosystems for multiple-purpose applications were developed for these unmet needs. Methods: This study fabricated novel trifunctional MNPs of Fe3O4@PLA-PEG for drug release, MRI and magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Result: The MNPs provided a significant loading of curcumin (∼11%) with controllable release ability, a high specific absorption rate of 82.2 W/g and significantly increased transverse relaxivity (r2 = 364.75 mM-1 s-1). The in vivo study confirmed that the MNPs enhanced MRI contrast in tumor observation and low-field magnetic fluid hyperthermia could effectively reduce the tumor size in mice bearing sarcoma 180. Conclusion: The nanocarrier has potential for drug release, cancer treatment monitoring and therapy.

In this study, the authors designed and fabricated novel magnetic trifunctional nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄@PLA-PEG. The 8.5 nm Fe₃O₄ core was covered with the polymeric matrix of PLA-PEG to encapsulate an anticancer agent of curcumin at a content of about 11%. Curcumin release from the nanoparticles (NPs) could be controlled by applying a remote alternating magnetic field. The NPs enhanced MRI contrast, which allowed the authors to better distinguish the tumor and surroundings in MR images, which would help monitor treatment. The heat that NPs generated when applied to a field at low intensity could effectively reduce the tumor size in mice bearing sarcoma 180. The nanocarrier, therefore, has potential for cancer treatment monitoring and drug release conjuvant with magnetic hyperthermia therapy.

The Role of Anisotropy in Distinguishing Domination of Néel or Brownian Relaxation Contribution to Magnetic Inductive Heating: Orientations for Biomedical Applications.

Magnetic inductive heating (MIH) has been a topic of great interest because of its potential applications, especially in biomedicine. In this paper, the parameters characteristic for magnetic inductive heating power including maximum specific loss power (SLPmax), optimal nanoparticle diameter (Dc) and its width (ΔDc) are considered as being dependent on magnetic nanoparticle anisotropy (K). The calculated results suggest 3 different Néel-domination (N), overlapped Néel/Brownian (NB), and Brownian-domination (B) regions. The transition from NB- to B-region changes abruptly around critical anisotropy Kc. For magnetic nanoparticles with low K (K < Kc), the feature of SLP peaks is determined by a high value of Dc and small ΔDc while those of the high K (K > Kc) are opposite. The decreases of the SLPmax when increasing polydispersity and viscosity are characterized by different rates of d(SLPmax)/dσ and d(SLPmax)/dη depending on each domination region. The critical anisotropy Kc varies with the frequency of an alternating magnetic field. A possibility to improve heating power via increasing anisotropy is analyzed and deduced for Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles. For MIH application, the monodispersity requirement for magnetic nanoparticles in the B-region is less stringent, while materials in the N- and/or NB-regions are much more favorable in high viscous media. Experimental results on viscosity dependence of SLP for CoFe2O4 and MnFe2O4 ferrofluids are in good agreement with the calculations. These results indicated that magnetic nanoparticles in the N- and/or NB-regions are in general better for application in elevated viscosity media.