Magnetite nanoparticles(NPs) have been the subject of much interest by researchers owing to their potential use as magnetic carriers in drug targeting and as a tumor treatment in cases of hyperthermia. However, magnetite nanoparticles with 10 nm in diameter easily aggregate and thus create large secondary particles. To disperse magnetite nanoparticles, this study proposes the infiltration of magnetite nanoparticles into hybrid silica aerogels. The feasible dispersion of magnetite is necessary to target tumor cells and to treat hyperthermia. Magnetite NPs have been synthesized by coprecipitation, hydrothermal and thermal decomposition methods. In particular, monodisperse magnetite NPs are known to be produced by the thermal decomposition of iron oleate. In this study, we thermally decomposed iron acetylacetonate in the presence of oleic acid, oleylamine and 1,2 hexadecanediol. We also attempted to disperse magnetite NPs within a mesoporous aerogels. Methyltriethoxysilicate(MTEOS)-based hybrid silica aerogels were synthesized by a supercritical drying method. To incorporate the magnetite nanoparticles into the hybrid aerogels, we devised two methods: adding the synthesized aerogel into a magnetite precursor solution followed by nucleation and crystal growth within the pores of the aerogels, and the infiltration of magnetite nanoparticles synthesized beforehand into aerogel matrices by immersing the aerogels in a magnetite nanoparticle colloid solution. An analysis using a vibrating sample magnetometer showed that approximately 20% of the magnetite nanoparticles were well dispersed in the aerogels. The composite samples showed that heating under an inductive magnetic field to a temperature of 45˚C is possible.
Nano magnetite particles have been prepared by two step reaction consisting of urea hydrolysis and ammonia addition at certain ranges of pH. Three different concentrations of aqueous solution of ferric () and ferrous () chloride (0.3 M-0.6 M, and 0.9 M) were mixed with 4 M urea solution and heated to induce the urea hydrolysis. Upon reaching at a certain pre-determined pH (around 4.7), 1 M ammonia solution were poured into the heated reaction vessels. In order to understand the relationship between the concentration of the starting solution and the final size of magnetite, in-situ pH measurements and quenching experiments were simultaneous conducted. The changes in the concentration of starting solution resulted in the difference of the threshold time for pH uprise, from I hour to 3 hours, during which the akaganeite (-FeOOH) particles nucleated and grew. Through the quenching experiment, it was confirmed that controlling the size of -FeOOH and the attaining a proper driving force for the reaction of -FeOOH and ion to give are important process variables for the synthesis of uniform magnetite nanoparticles.
The surface of magnetite () nanoparticles prepared by coprecipitation method was modified by carboxylic acid group of poly(3-thiophenacetic acid (3TA)) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Then the lysozyme protein was immobilized on the carboxylic acid group of the modification of the magnetite nanoparticles. The magnetite nanoparticles are spherical and the particle size is approximately 10 nm. We measured quantitative dispersion state by dispersion stability analyzer for each nanoparticles with and without surface modification. The concentration of lysozyme on the modified magnetite nanoparticles was also investigated by a UV-Vis spectrometer and compared to that of magnetite nanoparticles without surface modification. The functionalized magnetite particles had higher enzymatic capacity and dispersion stability than non-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles