Reverse micelle synthesis of functional superparamagnetic Fe/Au nanoparticles for MRI imagining and assessment of cytotoxicity

Core-shell iron-gold (Fe/Au) nanoparticles were synthesized by a reverse micelle route. Spherical particles with an average particle size in the range of 5-18 nm with a thin layer of gold shell (~2 nm) were prepared. Vibrating sample magnotemetry (VSM) showed the superparamagnetic behavior of the core/shell nanoparticles. To functionalize the particles for MRI imaging, the particles were coated by glycidol. It was found that the size and size distribution of the nanoparticles increase with increasing the water to surfactant molar ratio (w). The results of MTT-assay indicated that the functionalized particles are nontoxic which make them suitable for biomedical applications

Keywords:

Superparamagnetic , Iron/gold nanoparticles , Cell toxicity