Solvent evaporation driven entrapment of magnetic nanoparticles in mesoporous frame for designing a highly efficient MRI contrast probe

Saikia, K.; Bhattacharya, K.; Sen, D.; Kaushik, S.D.; Biswas, J.; Lodha, S.; Gogoi, B.; Buragohain, A.K.; Kockenberger, W.; Deb, P.

Abstract

The present work reports a novel strategy of assembling maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) in mesoporous silica host for developing a highly efficient MRI contrast probe. Shrinkage of hydrophobic environment due to the continuous evaporation of chloroform from Chloroform-in-Water emulsions pushes the hydrophobic γ-Fe2O3 NPs towards the hydrophobic pores of silica spheres resulting in a water soluble dense assembly structure. Mesoporous silica only with straight pores is found to be suitable for this particular entrapment process, while with curved and twisted pores, NPs are found to be seated on the surface only. So-developed assembly system has retained the superparamagnetic behaviour of its comprising NPs and exhibited high colloidal stability and biocompatibility. A significant enhancement in MRI transverse relaxivity to 386.2 mM−1 s−1 from 191.8 mM−1 s−1 of isolated primary γ-Fe2O3 NPs, has been obtained due to the strong magnetic field generated by the large number of NPs packed in the porous channels and consequent faster relaxation process. The fabrication strategy can be extended for the development of designed secondary nanostructures with new magnetic effects and physical properties.

Citation

Saikia, K., Bhattacharya, K., Sen, D., Kaushik, S., Biswas, J., Lodha, S., …Deb, P. (2019). Solvent evaporation driven entrapment of magnetic nanoparticles in mesoporous frame for designing a highly efficient MRI contrast probe. Applied Surface Science, 464, 567-576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.09.117

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 13, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Sep 14, 2018
• Publication Date: Jan 15, 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 12, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 15, 2019
• Journal: Applied Surface Science
• Print ISSN: 0169-4332
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 464
• Pages: 567-576
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.09.117
• Keywords: Surfaces, Coatings and Films
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1162867
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169433218325339?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Solvent evaporation driven entrapment of magnetic nanoparticles in mesoporous frame for designing a highly efficient MRI contrast probe; Journal Title: Applied Surface Science; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.09.117; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.