Cobalt and magnesium ferrite nanoparticles: preparation using liquid foams as templates and their magnetic characteristics

Liquid foams: Properties, structures, prevailing phenomena and their applications in chemical/biochemical processes

Liquid foams are gas-liquid dispersions with flexible structures that provide high gas-liquid interfaces. This property nominates liquid foams as excellent gas-liquid contactors, systems that are widely used in the chemical and biochemical industries. However, challenges such as a lack of comprehensive understanding and foam instability have historically hindered their widespread industrial use in most applications. It was not until the recent development of nanofluidics, nanotechnology, surface science, and other related fields that the understanding, analysis, and control of foam phenomena improved. This led to the development of innovative stabilization techniques and foam-based unit operations in chemical and biochemical processes, each of which requires in-depth and exclusive reviews to fully comprehend their potential and limitations and to identify areas for further improvement and innovation. This paper reviews the foams, the common phenomena in them, the characteristics that make them suitable for chemical/biochemical engineering, reports on their current applications and recent developments in this field.

Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles Obtained by the Novel Aerosol-Based Technique for Theranostic Applications

This work is aimed at presenting a novel aerosol-based technique for the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) and to assess the potential medical application of their dispersions after being coated with TEA-oleate. Refinement of the processing conditions led to the formation of monodispersed NPs with average sizes of ∼5-6 nm and narrow size distribution (FWHM of ∼3 nm). The NPs were coated with Triethanolammonium oleate (TEA-oleate) to stabilize them in water dispersion. This allowed obtaining the dispersion, which does not sediment for months, although TEM and DLS studies have shown the formation of small agglomerates of NPs. The different behaviors of cancer and normal cell lines in contact with NPs indicated the diverse mechanisms of their interactions with Fe3O4 NPs. Furthermore, the studies allowed assessment of the prospective theranostic application of magnetite NPs obtained using the aerosol-based technique, particularly magnetic hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Magnetoliposomes containing magnesium ferrite nanoparticles as nanocarriers for the model drug curcumin

Magnesium ferrite nanoparticles, with diameters around 25 nm, were synthesized by coprecipitation method. The magnetic properties indicate a superparamagnetic behaviour, with a maximum magnetization of 16.2 emu g-1, a coercive field of 22.1 Oe and a blocking temperature of 183.2 K. These MgFe2O4 nanoparticles were used to produce aqueous and solid magnetoliposomes, with sizes below 130 nm. The potential drug curcumin was successfully incorporated in these nanosystems, with high encapsulation efficiencies (above 89%). Interaction by fusion between both types of drug-loaded magnetoliposomes (with or without PEGylation) and models of biological membranes was demonstrated, using FRET or fluorescence quenching assays. These results point to future applications of magnetoliposomes containing MgFe2O4 nanoparticles in cancer therapy, allowing combined magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy.

Molecular encapsulator-appended poly(vinyl alcohol) shroud on ferrite nanoparticles. Augmented cancer-drug loading and anticancer property

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have the potency to deliver cancer drugs assisted by the application of a magnetic field. In this paper, we present the design of magnesium ferrite nanoparticles of size suitable for drug delivery. A coating polymer, poly(vinyl alcohol), tethered with a tapered cone-shaped cyclic oligosachcharide, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is synthesized and used to wrap and disperse the MNPs. The magnetic properties are explored using vibrating sample magnetometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The ∑130 nm MNPs, shrouded with the PVA-CD conjugate allows a high amount of the cancer drug, camptothecin, to be loaded on the nanocarrier. Cytotoxicity studies reveal that the loaded drug retains its potency against HEK 293 cells and the cells are sensitive to the treatment by the drug-loaded nanocarrier.

Giant Magnetic Heat Induction of Magnesium-Doped γ-Fe2 O3 Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Completely Killing Tumors

Magnetic fluid hyperthermia has been recently considered as a Renaissance of cancer treatment modality due to its remarkably low side effects and high treatment efficacy compared to conventional chemotheraphy or radiotheraphy. However, insufficient AC induction heating power at a biological safe range of AC magnetic field (H_appl ·f_appl < 3.0-5.0 × 10⁹ A m^-1 s^-1 ), and highly required biocompatibility of superparamagnetic nanoparticle (SPNP) hyperthermia agents are still remained as critical challenges for successful clinical hyperthermia applications. Here, newly developed highly biocompatible magnesium shallow doped γ-Fe₂ O₃ (Mg_0.13 -γFe₂ O₃ ) SPNPs with exceptionally high intrinsic loss power (ILP) in a range of 14 nH m² kg^-1 , which is an ≈100 times higher than that of commercial Fe₃ O₄ (Feridex, ILP = 0.15 nH m² kg^-1 ) at H_appl ·f_appl = 1.23 × 10⁹ A m^-1 s^-1 are reported. The significantly enhanced heat induction characteristics of Mg_0.13 -γFe₂ O₃ are primarily due to the dramatically enhanced out-of-phase magnetic susceptibility and magnetically tailored AC/DC magnetic softness resulted from the systematically controlled Mg²⁺ cations distribution and concentrations in octahedral site Fe vacancies of γ-Fe₂ O₃ instead of well-known Fe₃ O₄ SPNPs. In vitro and in vivo magnetic hyperthermia studies using Mg_0.13 -γFe₂ O₃ nanofluids are conducted to estimate bioavailability and biofeasibility. Mg_0.13 -γFe₂ O₃ nanofluids show promising hyperthermia effects to completely kill the tumors.

Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Curcumin Inhibits Diabetic Neuropathic Pain Involving the P2Y12 Receptor in the Dorsal Root Ganglia

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy results in diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). Satellite glial cells (SGCs) enwrap the neuronal soma in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The purinergic 2 (P2) Y12 receptor is expressed on SGCs in the DRG. SGC activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DNP. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Because curcumin has poor metabolic stability in vivo and low bioavailability, nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin was used to improve its targeting and bioavailability. In the present study, our aim was to investigate the effects of nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin on DNP mediated by the P2Y12 receptor on SGCs in the rat DRG. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy increased the expression levels of the P2Y12 receptor on SGCs in the DRG and enhanced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM). Up-regulation of the P2Y12 receptor in SGCs in the DRG increased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Up-regulation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and connexin43 (Cx43) resulted in mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in rats with DM. The nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin decreased up-regulated IL-1β and Cx43 expression and reduced levels of phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) in the DRG of rats with DM. The up-regulation of P2Y12 on SGCs and the up-regulation of the IL-1β and Cx43 in the DRG indicated the activation of SGCs in the DRG. The nano-curcumin treatment inhibited the activation of SGCs accompanied by its anti-inflammatory effect to decrease the up-regulated CGRP expression in the DRG neurons. Therefore, the nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin treatment decreased the up-regulation of the P2Y12 receptor on SGCs in the DRG and decreased mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in rats with DM.

Temperature-Dependent Magnetic Response of Antiferromagnetic Doping in Cobalt Ferrite Nanostructures

In this work Mn_xCo_1−xFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a chemical co-precipitation method. Phase purity and structural analyses of synthesized NPs were performed by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals the presence of highly crystalline and narrowly-dispersed NPs with average diameter of 14 nm. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum was measured in the range of 400–4000 cm⁻¹ which confirmed the formation of vibrational frequency bands associated with the entire spinel structure. Temperature-dependent magnetic properties in anti-ferromagnet (AFM) and ferromagnet (FM) structure were investigated with the aid of a physical property measurement system (PPMS). It was observed that magnetic interactions between the AFM (Mn) and FM (CoFe₂O₄) material arise below the Neel temperature of the dopant. Furthermore, hysteresis response was clearly pronounced for the enhancement in magnetic parameters by varying temperature towards absolute zero. It is shown that magnetic properties have been tuned as a function of temperature and an externally-applied field.

Nonlinear transmittance and optical power limiting in magnesium ferrite nanoparticles: effects of laser pulsewidth and particle size

We report comparative measurements of size dependent nonlinear transmission and optical power limiting in nanocrystalline magnesium ferrite (MgFe₂O₄) particles excited by short (nanosecond) and ultrashort (femtosecond) laser pulses.

One-pot synthesis of highly monodispersed ferrite nanocrystals: surface characterization and magnetic properties

In the present study, a facile one-pot synthetic route, utilizing a strong polar organic solvent, N-methyl 2-pyrrolidone (NMP), is demonstrated to obtain highly monodispersed ferrite nanocrystals. The equimolar mixture of oleic acid, C(17)H(33)COOH (R-COOH), and oleylamine, C(18)H(35)NH(2) (R'-NH(2)), was used to coat the magnetic nanocrystals. Structural and magnetic properties of the ferrite nanocrystals were studied by a multitechnique approach including X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. FTIR spectral analysis indicates oleylamine helps in deprotonation of oleic acid, resulting in the formation of an acid-base complex, R-COO¯:NH(3)(+)-R', which acts as binary capping agent. Structural and coordination differences of iron were studied by XPS and Mössbauer spectral analysis. XPS analysis was carried out to examine the oxidation state of iron ions in iron oxide nanocrystals. The presence of a magnetically dead layer (∼0.38 and ∼0.67 nm) and a nonmagnetic organic coating (∼2.3 and ∼1.7 nm) may substantially reduce the saturation magnetization values for CoFe(2)O(4) and Fe(3)O(4) nanocrystals, respectively. The energy barrier distribution function of magnetic anisotropy was derived from the temperature dependent decay of magnetization. A very narrow energy barrier distribution elucidates that the ferrite nanocrystals obtained in this study are highly monodispersed.

Measuring Location, Size, Distribution, and Loading of NiO Crystallites in Individual SBA-15 Pores by Electron Tomography

By the combination of electron tomography with image segmentation, the properties of 299 NiO crystallites contained in 6 SBA-15 pores were studied. A statistical analysis of the particle size showed that crystallites between 2 and 6 nm were present with a distribution maximum at 3 and 4 nm, for the number-weighted and volume-weighted curves, respectively. Interparticle distances between nearest neighbors were 1-3 nm with very few isolated crystallites. In the examined pores, a local loading twice the applied average of 24 wt % NiO was found. This suggests that a very high local loading combined with a high dispersion is achievable.

Effect of digestion time and alkali addition rate on physical properties of magnetite nanoparticles

We investigate the effect of digestion time and alkali addition rate on the size and magnetic properties of precipitated magnetite nanoparticles. It is observed that the time required to complete the growth process for magnetite nanocrystals is very short (approximately 300 s), compared to long digestion times (20-190 min) required for MnO and CdSe nanocrystals. The rapid growth of magnetite nanoparticles suggests that Oswald ripening is insignificant during the precipitation stage, due to the low solubility of the oxides and the domination of a solid-state reaction where high electron mobility between Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions drives a local cubic close-packed ordering. During the growth stage (0-300 s), the increase in the particle size is nominal (6.7-8.2 nm). The effect of alkali addition rate on particle size reveals that the nanocrystal size decreases with increasing alkali addition rate. The particle size decreases from 11 to 6.8 nm as the alkali addition rate is increased from 1 to 80 mL/s. During the size decrease, the lattice parameter decreases from 0.838 to 0.835 nm, which is attributed to an increase in the amount of Fe3+ atoms at the surface due to oxidation. As the alkali addition rate increases, the solution reaches supersaturation state rapidly leading to the formation of large number of initial nuclei at the nucleation stage, resulting in large number of particles with smaller size. When alkali addition rate is increased from 1 to 80 mL/s, the saturation magnetization of the particles decreases from 60 to 46 emu/g due to the reduced particle size.