Magnetic Nanoparticles and Self Assembled Multilayer Thin films for Potential Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Project explores the opportunity of employing the tunable multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles in the development of self-assembled multilayer thin films. Another objective was to use charges ions to understand the factors, which control the formation of films. Main objective was to carry out research to develop nanoparticles and their thin films. Magnetic nanoparticles of nickel ferrite were synthesized by two different routes. Self assembled layers of nanoparticles were deposited on the glass substrate by using different polymers. Analyses were carried out to know about the structure of nanoparticles and the uniformity of the coatings. SEM and AFM analyses have clearly indicated the formation of thin films with uniform morphology. Potential applications of the fabricated films have also been discussed, especially in consideration of their role in biomedical applications. In a related project, nanoparticles of manganese nickel ferrite were also prepared. Mn1-xNixFe2O4 of varying compositions with Ni concentration x = 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 were prepared by chemical coprecipitation method. The prepared nano-ferrites were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM) to study the compositional, structural and morphological changes taking place with varying Ni concentration x in the composition of the prepared nanoferrites. The XRD results indicated the preparation of single spinel ferrite and crystalline size were in the range of 14-26 nm. Further information about the morphology of the nanoferriets was obtained from AFM and SEM results. These observations indicate that the characteristics of the synthesized materials can be controlled by varying the compositions in the Mn-Ni ferrites.