Controllable in Situ Synthesis of Magnetite Coated Silica-Core Water-Dispersible Hybrid Nanomaterials

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Haiou Qu, University of New Orleans; Sheng Tong, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kejing Song, Children's Hospital New Orleans; Hui Ma, University of New Orleans; Gang Bao, Emory University; Seth Pincus, Children's Hospital New Orleans; Weilie Zhou, University of New Orleans; Charles O'Connor, University of New Orleans
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-08-20
• Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 American Chemical Society.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la4022867
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: LANGMUIR
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 33
• Start Page: 10573
• End Page: 10578
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was financially supported by a research grant from Louisiana Board of Regents contract no. LEQSF(2007-12)-ENH-PKSFI-PRS-04 and by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH as a Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology Award (HHSN268201000043C to GB).
• Keywords: Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; FABRICATION; NANOSPHERES; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; PARTICLES; CARRIERS; Materials Science; HOLLOW; Physical Sciences; RESONANCE; NANOPARTICLE PROBES; Chemistry; NANOCRYSTALS; Chemistry, Physical; Technology; Science & Technology; SPHERES; LUMINESCENT
• Research Categories: Chemistry, Physical; Chemistry, General

Abstract

Magnetite nanoparticle coated silica (Fe3O4@SiO 2) hybrid nanomaterials hold an important position in the fields of cell imaging and drug delivery. Here we report a large scale synthetic procedure that allows attachment of magnetite nanoparticles onto a silica surface in situ. Many different silica nanomaterials such as Stöber silica nanospheres, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and hollow silica nanotubes have been coated with a high density layer of water-dispersible magnetite nanoparticles. The size and attachment efficiency of the magnetite nanoparticle can be well tuned by adjusting the precursor concentration and reflux time. The functionalization of Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles with dye molecules and biocompatible polymers impart optical imaging modality and good colloidal stability in either buffer solution or serum. The functionalized materials also exhibited strong potential as negative contrast agents in T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging.