Magnetic Behaviour of Iron Oxide/Dextran Nanoparticles in a Keratin Matrix

Year: 2024

Authors: Dinelli F., Modestino M., Galluzzi A., Posati T., Seri M., Zamboni R., Sotgiu G., Corticelli F., Polichetti M.

Autors Affiliation: Natl Inst Opt INO, Natl Res Council, Via Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Univ Salerno, Dept Phys, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy; Inst Supercond Oxides & Other Innovat Mat & Device, Natl Res Council, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084 Fisciano, Italy; Inst Organ Synth & Photoreact ISOF, Natl Res Council, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy; Inst Nanostruct Mat ISMN, Natl Res Council, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy; Kerline Srl, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy; Inst Microelect & Microsyst IMM, Natl Res Council, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy.

Abstract: Featured Application Development of a method to characterize size distributions of magnetic nanoparticles and their magnetic behavior in polymeric matrices.Abstract Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are interesting for their potential employment in biomedical and environmental technologies. Although they have been characterized by many techniques, there are some issues that need to be solved. For instance, it is not yet possible to finely characterize their size distribution or to detect their local magnetic properties. In this work, commercial MNPs were employed, which were made of iron oxide cores with a mean diameter of 8 nm embedded in a matrix of dextran to form skeins with a mean diameter of 20 nm. These MNPs have been dispersed in keratin, a natural protein extracted from wool. Thin films have been realized by spin coating water solutions with various MNP concentrations. Analysis was conducted using a set of techniques, namely Atomic Force Microscopy, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, a Physical Property Measurement System-Vibrating Sample Magnetometer, and the spatially resolved Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (NanoMOKE). These MNPs show superparamagnetic properties, although a wide distribution of blocking temperature values indicates that the cores are not isolated and interact with others. NanoMOKE not only allows us to map the magnetic behavior of MNP clusters, but also to detect the presence of isolated MNPs dispersed in the keratin matrix.

Journal/Review: APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL

Volume: 14 (3)      Pages from: 1106-1  to: 1106-13

KeyWords: magnetic nanoparticles; iron oxide; magnetic properties; Kerr effect; MOKE; NanoMOKE; PPMS-VSM; thin films; keratin
DOI: 10.3390/app14031106

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