Pluronic® coated sterically stabilized magnetite nanoparticles for hyperthermia applications

We report the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles by ball milling of α-Fe in water and its functionalization with oleic acid and Pluronic® F127 for use in hyperthermia applications. The samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, DC magnetometry, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and heat release studies under an AC magnetic field. The magnetite phase corresponded to 96 wt% and there was a small contribution of 4 wt% of α-Fe. The magnetite particles have a main size of 22 nm and oleic acid layer thickness of 1.9 nm. Magnetic measurements indicate the particles are blocked at 300 K and exhibit the Verwey transition at 119 K. At 5 K the saturation magnetization obtained from the law of approach to saturation was of 95 emu/g. In the heat release studies, the sterically stabilized particles have a temperature increase, ΔT, of 43 °C in 350 s. The Pluronic® coated particles, dispersed in water at 50 mg/ml, exhibited a ΔT=10.5 °C in 350 s, and this value remained nearly constant for periods of up to 650 s. The specific absorption rate (SAR) was of 6.4 W/g indicating that this sample may be used for the lyse of tumor cells.