Synthesis-Dependent Magnetic Modifications in Starch-Coated CoFe2O4 Monodomain Nanoparticles: Structural, Magnetic and Spectroscopic Study

TL;DR

This paper studies how different synthesis methods and starch coating affect the structure and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles for biomedical use.

Contribution

The study reveals that starch coating and synthesis method significantly influence nanoparticle properties, enabling tailored magnetic behavior for biomedical applications.

Findings

Starch coating reduces structural disorder and internal stress in CoFe2O4 nanoparticles.

Magnetic properties like magnetization and coercivity are affected by the synthesis method and coating process.

Surface modification preserves magnetic responses crucial for biomedical applications.

Abstract

This study investigates the structural and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles prepared by five different synthesis methods: coprecipitation, ultrasound-assisted coprecipitation, coprecipitation coupled with mechanochemical treatment, microemulsion and microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The produced powders were additionally functionalized with starch to improve biocompatibility and colloidal stability. The starch-coating procedure itself by sonication in starch solution, as well as its result, affects the structural and magnetic properties of functionalized nanoparticles. The resulting changes of properties in the process of ligand addition depend significantly on the starting nanoparticles, or rather, on the method of their synthesis. The structural, magnetic and spectroscopic properties of the resulting materials were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. Taken together, XRD, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy show that starch deposition reduces structural disorder and internal stress, resulting in nanoparticles with a more uniform size distribution. These changes, in turn, affect all magnetic properties—magnetization, coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. Magnetic responses are preserved what is desirable for future biomedical applications. This work emphasizes the importance of surface modification for tailoring the properties of magnetic nanoparticles while maintaining their desired functionality.

Figures