Heating ability of amine functionalized Fe3O4 as a function of field amplitude and frequency for hyperthermia application

Abstract The functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is crucial for their biomedical applications such as magnetic hyperthermia, which attracted attention in recent years as a promising alternative or complementary therapy to traditional cancer treatments. Here, we investigate a synthetic approach based on the hydrothermal process for the amine-functionalized magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 -NH 2 ) MNPs for possible use in hyperthermia. The characterization of coated MNPs by FTIR confirms the functionalization with the amine group, while the XRD shows how the magnetite phase was formed. Magnetic measurements of both coated and uncoated MNPs at room temperature revealed their ferrimagnetic behavior. It was found from magnetic hyperthermia measurements under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) that functionalized with amine MNPs reach hyperthermia temperatures (42 °C)) in relatively short times (around 10 min.) with a adequate value of sample absorption rate (SAR)in the range between 33 to 45 W g –1 . The (NH 2 ) groups on the surface of the (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles prepared by hydrothermal process make them amenable to further functionalization with various biomolecules. This enables the nanoparticles to be tailored for specific applications, such as drug delivery or targeting specific cells or tissues. Moreover, the appropriate crystallinity combined with the relatively adequate heating ability and adequate saturation suggest that the functionalized MNPs are promising for hyperthermia application.