Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are interesting for their potential employment in biomedical and environmental technologies. Although they have been characterized by many techniques, there are some issues that need to be solved. For instance, it is not yet possible to finely characterize their size distribution or to detect their local magnetic properties. In this work, commercial MNPs were employed, which were made of iron oxide cores with a mean diameter of 8 nm embedded in a matrix of dextran to form skeins with a mean diameter of 20 nm. These MNPs have been dispersed in keratin, a natural protein extracted from wool. Thin films have been realized by spin coating water solutions with various MNP concentrations. Analysis was conducted using a set of techniques, namely Atomic Force Microscopy, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, a Physical Property Measurement System–Vibrating Sample Magnetometer, and the spatially resolved Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (NanoMOKE). These MNPs show superparamagnetic properties, although a wide distribution of blocking temperature values indicates that the cores are not isolated and interact with others. NanoMOKE not only allows us to map the magnetic behavior of MNP clusters, but also to detect the presence of isolated MNPs dispersed in the keratin matrix.

Magnetic Behaviour of Iron Oxide/Dextran Nanoparticles in a Keratin Matrix

Dinelli, Franco;Galluzzi, Armando;Posati, Tamara;Seri, Mirko;Zamboni, Roberto;Sotgiu, Giovanna;Corticelli, Franco;Polichetti, Massimiliano
2024

Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are interesting for their potential employment in biomedical and environmental technologies. Although they have been characterized by many techniques, there are some issues that need to be solved. For instance, it is not yet possible to finely characterize their size distribution or to detect their local magnetic properties. In this work, commercial MNPs were employed, which were made of iron oxide cores with a mean diameter of 8 nm embedded in a matrix of dextran to form skeins with a mean diameter of 20 nm. These MNPs have been dispersed in keratin, a natural protein extracted from wool. Thin films have been realized by spin coating water solutions with various MNP concentrations. Analysis was conducted using a set of techniques, namely Atomic Force Microscopy, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, a Physical Property Measurement System–Vibrating Sample Magnetometer, and the spatially resolved Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (NanoMOKE). These MNPs show superparamagnetic properties, although a wide distribution of blocking temperature values indicates that the cores are not isolated and interact with others. NanoMOKE not only allows us to map the magnetic behavior of MNP clusters, but also to detect the presence of isolated MNPs dispersed in the keratin matrix.
2024
Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattivita' - ISOF
Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati - ISMN
Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi - IMM
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica - INO
Istituto Superconduttori, materiali innovativi e dispositivi - SPIN
magnetic nanoparticles; iron oxide; magnetic properties; Kerr effect; MOKE; NanoMOKE; PPMS-VSM; thin films; keratin
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/520181
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