THE EFFECT OF POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) COATING ON THEudMAGNETO-STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES AND COLLOIDAL STABILITY OFudCo0.8Mg0.2Fe2O4 NANOPARTICLES FOR POTENTIAL BIOMEDICALudAPPLICATIONS

摘要

The effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating on the magneto-structural properties and colloidal stability of Co0.8Mg0.2Fe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was studied with their potential biomedical applications in mind using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD,Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), vibrating sample magnetometerud(VSM) and zeta potential measurements. Co0.8Mg0.2Fe2 MNPs were synthesized by a twostep chemical method including solution combustion synthesis followed by functionalisation with PEG. The XRD patterns indicate that the crystalline single phase cubic spinel structure was retained after PEG coating. Also, after PEG coating, the crystallite size (from Scherrer formula) increases from 50 to 56 nm. Magneticudmeasurements of both coated and uncoated particles reveal the ferrimagnetic nature at room temperature with the PEG coated sample recording a higher magnetic moment. Theudresulting PEG coated particles form a more stable suspension in aqueous environment and also an appreciable stability in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at physiological pH. The higher magnetization and colloidal stability recorded with PEG coatings is an importantudparameter in biomedical applications.