Structure, synthetic methods, magnetic properties and biomedical applications of ferrofluids

Magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications have been developed by many researchers. Separation, immunoassay, drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and hyperthermia are enhanced by the use of magnetic nanoparticles and ferrofluids. Colloidal ferrofluids consisting of nanomagnetic particles suspended in a suitable fluid medium are increasingly employed in different applications in the biomedical sciences. In this paper, attempts have been made to present a complete survey on the physics, chemistry, synthetic and medical applications of ferrofluids with special focus on hyperthermia and MRI applications.