Magnetic properties of biocompatible CoFe2O4 nanoparticles using a facile synthesis

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesised by a simple and cost-effective method using Co and Fe nitrates and freshly extracted egg white in an aqueous medium. X-ray diffraction patterns and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern results indicate that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles have spinel structure with Fd3¯m space group. The average particle size of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles is found to from 45 nm. Temperature and field dependence of magnetisation reveals that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles form ferrimagnetic in nature. A null cytotoxicity is observed in the CoFe2O4 nanoparticle which indicates that the material has an excellent biocompatibility. In order to check the importance of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles using the egg-white synthesis, the structural, magnetic and cytotoxicity of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles prepared via egg white method have been compared with that of sol-gel method. The egg-white method adopted in the present study appears to be a promising route of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles for biomedical applications.