Synthesis, characterization and surface modification of ZnCrFeO₄ nanoparticles

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesis, characterization and surface modification of ZnCrFeO4 nanoparticles

AU - Hamed, Amal

AU - Fitzgerald, Alexander G.

AU - Wang, Lijun

AU - Gueorguieva, Mariana

AU - Malik, Ritu

AU - Melzer, Andreas

PY - 2013/4/1

Y1 - 2013/4/1

N2 - The aim of this research was to investigate zinc chromium ferrite (ZnCrFeO) nanoparticles, synthesized using the sol gel technique with nanoparticle size controlled through a two-stage annealing process. Stage one was a low temperature firing which produced low quality nanocrystals with an average size of 15 nm. This was followed by a second firing stage at high temperature which enhanced the crystal quality. The nanoparticles were then coated with a bio-compatible shell to form a stable suspension in the ferrofluid carrier. The resulting nanoparticles were found by electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies to have excellent crystal quality. The average size was 8.5 nm. Preliminary cell culture studies indicated the ZnCrFeO nanoparticles were non-toxic. The relatively high measured value of the relaxivity r showed that the nanoparticle coating was effective in substantially reducing aggregation and enhancing the properties of the nanoparticles associated with contrast enhancement in MRI.

AB - The aim of this research was to investigate zinc chromium ferrite (ZnCrFeO) nanoparticles, synthesized using the sol gel technique with nanoparticle size controlled through a two-stage annealing process. Stage one was a low temperature firing which produced low quality nanocrystals with an average size of 15 nm. This was followed by a second firing stage at high temperature which enhanced the crystal quality. The nanoparticles were then coated with a bio-compatible shell to form a stable suspension in the ferrofluid carrier. The resulting nanoparticles were found by electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies to have excellent crystal quality. The average size was 8.5 nm. Preliminary cell culture studies indicated the ZnCrFeO nanoparticles were non-toxic. The relatively high measured value of the relaxivity r showed that the nanoparticle coating was effective in substantially reducing aggregation and enhancing the properties of the nanoparticles associated with contrast enhancement in MRI.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84873409435

U2 - 10.1016/j.msec.2012.12.071

DO - 10.1016/j.msec.2012.12.071

M3 - Article

C2 - 23827616

AN - SCOPUS:84873409435

SN - 0928-4931

VL - 33

SP - 1623

EP - 1628

JO - Materials Science and Engineering: C

JF - Materials Science and Engineering: C

IS - 3

ER -