Iron-oxide colloidal nanoclusters: from fundamental physical properties to diagnosis and therapy

Athanasia Kostopoulou; Konstantinos Brintakis; Alessandro Lascialfari; Mavroeidis Angelakeris; Marianna Vasilakaki; Kalliopi Trohidou; Alexios P. Douvalis; Stylianos Psycharakis; Anthi Ranella; Liberato Manna; Alexandros Lappas

doi:10.1117/12.2039264

24 March 2014 Iron-oxide colloidal nanoclusters: from fundamental physical properties to diagnosis and therapy

Athanasia Kostopoulou, Konstantinos Brintakis, Alessandro Lascialfari, Mavroeidis Angelakeris, Marianna Vasilakaki, Kalliopi Trohidou, Alexios P. Douvalis, Stylianos Psycharakis, Anthi Ranella, Liberato Manna, Alexandros Lappas

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8955, Colloidal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications IX; 895517 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2039264
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Research on magnetic nanocrystals attracts wide-spread interest because of their challenging fundamental properties, but it is also driven by problems of practical importance to the society, ranging from electronics (e.g. magnetic recording) to biomedicine. In that respect, iron oxides are model functional materials as they adopt a variety of oxidation states and coordinations that facilitate their use. We show that a promising way to engineer further their technological potential in diagnosis and therapy is the assembly of primary nanocrystals into larger colloidal entities, possibly with increased structural complexity. In this context, elevated-temperature nanochemistry (c.f. based on a polyol approach) permitted us to develop size-tunable, low-cytotoxicity iron-oxide nanoclusters, entailing iso-oriented nanocrystals, with enhanced magnetization. Experimental (magnetometry, electron microscopy, Mössbauer and NMR spectroscopies) results supported by Monte Carlo simulations are reviewed to show that such assemblies of surface-functionalized iron oxide nanocrystals have a strong potential for innovation. The clusters’ optimized magnetic anisotropy (including microscopic surface spin disorder) and weak ferrimagnetism at room temperature, while they do not undermine colloidal stability, endow them a profound advantage as efficient MRI contrast agents and hyperthermic mediators with important biomedical potential.

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Athanasia Kostopoulou, Konstantinos Brintakis, Alessandro Lascialfari, Mavroeidis Angelakeris, Marianna Vasilakaki, Kalliopi Trohidou, Alexios P. Douvalis, Stylianos Psycharakis, Anthi Ranella, Liberato Manna, and Alexandros Lappas "Iron-oxide colloidal nanoclusters: from fundamental physical properties to diagnosis and therapy", Proc. SPIE 8955, Colloidal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications IX, 895517 (24 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2039264

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