One-pot fabricating Fe3O4/graphene nanocomposite with excellent biocompatibility and non-toxicity as a negative MR contrast agent

•We successfully prepared Fe3O4/G nanocomposite with water-solubility via a facile and simple method.•Fe3O4/G nanocomposite exhibited high T2relaxivity (123.04 mM−1 s−1).•Fe3O4/G nanocomposite was non-toxic and biocompatible via in vitro and in vivo experiments.•Fe3O4/G nanocomposite can be cleared from the body through the metabolic processes, which is harmless to the living body.

We report a facile approach to synthesize water-dispersible nanocomposite with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) attached to graphene (G), which combines the growth of Fe3O4NPs and the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) in one single step. The unique hydrophilic surface structure of Fe3O4/G nanocomposite leads to it being colloidally stable, non-cytotoxic, well-dispersible and biocompatible in aqueous solution verified via bio-experiments. In vivo tests also prove that Fe3O4/G nanocomposite, which can be cleared from the body through the metabolic processes, is harmless to the living body. Most importantly, the Fe3O4/G nanocomposite showed T2relaxivity (123.04 mM−1 s−1) indicating its potential as a sensitive T2 contrast agent.

Graphical abstractA facile approach based on in situ chemical reduction has prepared biocompatible and non-toxic Fe3O4/G nanocomposite showed high T2relaxivity (123.04 mM−1 s−1) indicating its potential as an ultrasensitive T2 contrast agent.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide