Surface modification and polymerization on iron oxide nanoparticles obtained from mineral magnetite

Abstract

Surface modified iron oxide nanoparticles with polymers have been used in the last years in different biomedical applications. In this work, iron oxide nanoparticles from mineral magnetite have been modified with an initiator of polymerization by two methods, direct and ligand exchange. The infrared analysis shows two types of bonds, unidentate and bidentate. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the ligand-exchange is four times better in the incorporation of organic molecules and transmission electron microscopy shows there fewer agglomerates by this method. The activity of the nanoparticles in fronts to a surface polymerization with n-butyl methacrylate monomer was developed. The polymeric nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. A shifted of the signal of polymer to lower degree indicates an interaction between inorganic material and polymer. The magnetic properties of nanocomposite were studied by vibrating sample magnetization where is possible appreciate a Langevin curve with a superparamagnetic behavior and a magnetization remanence (Ms/Mr) under 0.01.