Unveiling the crystal and magnetic texture of iron oxide nanoflowers.

Iron oxide nanoflowers (IONF) are densely packed multi-core aggregates known for their high saturation magnetization and initial susceptibility, as well as low remanence and coercive field. This study reports on how the local magnetic texture originating at the crystalline correlations among the cores determines the special magnetic properties of individual IONF over a wide size range from 40 to 400 nm. Regardless of this significant size variation in the aggregates, all samples exhibit a consistent crystalline correlation that extends well beyond the IONF cores. Furthermore, a nearly zero remnant magnetization, together with the presence of a persistently blocked state, and almost temperature-independent field-cooled magnetization, support the existence of a 3D magnetic texture throughout the IONF. This is confirmed by magnetic transmission X-ray microscopy images of tens of individual IONF, showing, in all cases, a nearly demagnetized state caused by the vorticity of the magnetic texture. Micromagnetic simulations agree well with these experimental findings, showing that the interplay between the inter-core direct exchange coupling and the demagnetizing field is responsible for the highly vortex-like spin configuration that stabilizes at low magnetic fields and appears to have partial topological protection. Overall, this comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the impact of crystalline texture on the magnetic properties of IONF over a wide size range, offering a deeper understanding of their potential applications in fields such as biomedicine and water remediation.

Improved magnetic lateral flow assays with optimized nanotags for point-of-use inductive biosensing.

Lateral flow assays may be used by minimally trained personnel for fast and inexpensive bioanalyses in decentralized non-exigent environments. Their extension to a broader catalog of applications depends on improvements in their quantification and their sensitivity. We report a strategy that combines nanomagnetic tagging of the analyte of interest with radiofrequency inductive sensing, easy to achieve in friendly and portable format. To optimize nanotag performance, we investigated the influences of their magnetic core size and agglomeration. Iron oxide nanoparticles, with sizes from 5 to 23 nm, were synthesized by thermal decomposition and then coated with dimercaptosuccinic acid and functionalized with neutravidin protein. We tested the system by immobilizing biotin in lateral flow membrane strips. When a sample containing the particles flows along the membrane, the biotin captures the neutravidin together with the magnetic nanotags, which are detected by the inductive sensor. The optimal nanotag core size is the critical threshold for superparamagnetic behavior, which maximizes both the initial magnetic permeability and the saturation magnetization. Controlled agglomeration of the nanotags increases the magnetic mass captured in the test line and further amplifies the signal.

Elongated magnetic nanoparticles with high-aspect ratio: a nuclear relaxation and specific absorption rate investigation.

Medical application of nanotechnology implies the development of nanomaterials capable of being functional in different biological environments. In this sense, elongated nanoparticles (e-MNPs) with high-aspect ratio have demonstrated more effective particle cellular internalization, which is favoured by the increased surface area. This paper makes use of an environmentally friendly hydrothermal method to produce magnetic iron oxide e-MNPs, starting from goethite precursors. At high temperatures (Td) goethite transforms into hematite, which subsequently reduces to magnetite when exposed to a hydrogen atmosphere for a certain time. It is shown that by adjusting Td it is possible to obtain Fe3O4 e-MNPs with partially controlled specific surface area and magnetic properties, attributed to different porosity of the samples. The particles' efficiencies for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes (in magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic fluid hyperthermia, respectively) are very good in terms of clinical standards, some samples showing transversal proton nuclear relaxivity r2 (B0 = 1.33 T) = 340 s-1 mM-1 and specific absorption rate SAR > 370 W g-1 at high field amplitudes (B0 = 55 mT). Direct correlations between the SAR, relaxivity, magnetic properties and porosity of the samples are found, and the physico-chemical processes underneath these correlations are investigated. Our results open the possibility of using very efficient high-aspect ratio elongated nanoparticles with optimized chemico-physical properties for biomedical applications.

Ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications: improving the colloidal and magnetic properties.

A considerable increase in the saturation magnetization, M(s) (40%), and initial susceptibility of ultrasmall (<5 nm) iron oxide nanoparticles prepared by laser pyrolysis was obtained through an optimized acid treatment. Moreover, a significant enhancement in the colloidal properties, such as smaller aggregate sizes in aqueous media and increased surface charge densities, was found after this chemical protocol. The results are consistent with a reduction in nanoparticle surface disorder induced by a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism.

Bioinorganic transformations of liver iron deposits observed by tissue magnetic characterisation in a rat model.

The magnetic properties and the ultrastructure, with special emphasis on the nanometric range, of liver tissues in an iron overload rat model have been investigated. The tissues of the animals, sacrificed at different times after a single iron dextran injection, have been characterised by magnetic AC susceptibility measurements together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) as helping techniques. It has been observed that few days after the iron administration the liver contains at least two iron species: (i) akaganéite nanoparticles, coming from iron dextran and (ii) ferrihydrite nanoparticles corresponding to ferritin. The magnetic susceptibility of the tissues depends not only on the elemental iron content but also on its distribution among chemical species, and varies in a remarkable regular manner as a function of the elapsed time since the iron administration. The results are of relevance with respect to non-invasive techniques for liver iron determination, directly or indirectly based on the magnetic susceptibility of the tissues, as biomagnetic liver susceptometry (BLS) and magnetic resonance (MRI) image treatment.