title: Novel ZnO/MgO/Fe2O3 composite optomagnetic nanoparticles.
abstract: A facile sol-gel synthesis of novel ZnO/MgO/Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) is reported and their performance is compared to that of ZnO/MgO. Powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns reveal the crystal structure of the prepared samples. The average particle size of the sample was found to be 4.8 nm. The optical properties were determined by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence measurements. The NPs are stable in biologically relevant solutions (phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 20 mM, pH = 7.0) contrary to ZnO/MgO NPs which degrade in the presence of inorganic phosphate. Superparamagnetic properties were determined with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). Biocompatible and stable in PBS ZnO/MgO/Fe2O3 core/shell composite nanocrystals show luminescent and magnetic properties confined to a single NP at room temperature (19-24 ° C), which may render the material to be potentially useful for biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. ikaminska@ifpan.edu.pl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kamińska
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fronc
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sobczak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minikayev
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paszkowicz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elbaum
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008277:Magnesium Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C000499:ferric oxide; D008277:Magnesium Oxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide