Hybrid Magnetic Nanoparticles: from Synthesis to Applications

Modern chemical synthesis routes allow us to develop novel magnetic materials based on hybrid nanoparticles (NPs), i.e. formed by different inorganic or organic components combined in a single nanostructure [1]. Unlike single-phase materials, the magnetic properties of such systems are extremely sensitive to the interactions of their constituents at the nanoscale and to the characteristics of the interfaces between them, which often drive their technological applications and are still not fully understood.

In this talk, various magnetite (Fe₃O₄)-based hybrid materials will be described, including magnetic NPs functionalized with amphiphilic polymers and epitaxially grown exchange-coupled ferrites with core/shell morphology (Fig. 1).  It will be discussed how the magnetic response can be precisely tuned by modulating the composition, morphology and dimensions of the NPs’ components, and how a rational design of the hybrid NPs can provide innovative materials for environmental and biomedical applications.

References:
[1]   G. Lavorato, R. Das, J. Alonso-Masa et al., “Hybrid magnetic nanoparticles as efficient nanoheaters in biomedical applications”, Nanoscale Advances, vol. 3, no. 4, 867-888, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1039/D0NA00828A.