Fabrication, optimization, and characterization of ultra-small superparamagnetic Fe3O4 and biocompatible Fe3O4@ZnS core/shell magnetic nanoparticles: Ready for biomedicine applications

Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles that preferred for biomedical applications are required to be biocompatible, nanosized and superparamagnetic. In this research, ultra-small superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and novel superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@ZnS core/shell nanocomposites were fabricated using biocompatible ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a capping agent by a facile refluxing assisted co-precipitation method at optimum condition. The Fe₃O₄ and Fe₃O₄@ZnS nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The VSM results indicated that all of the samples have superparamagnetic behavior. The particle size of the Fe₃O₄ and Fe₃O₄@ZnS nanoparticles were obtained at about 10 and 22 nm, respectively.

Keywords: Biomedicine applications; Core/shell nanocomposites; Fe(3)O(4); Magnetic nanoparticles; Superparamagnetic; Zinc sulfide.