title: Structure and Function of Iron-Loaded Synthetic Melanin.
abstract: We describe a synthetic method for increasing and controlling the iron loading of synthetic melanin nanoparticles and use the resulting materials to perform a systematic quantitative investigation on their structure-property relationship. A comprehensive analysis by magnetometry, electron paramagnetic resonance, and nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion reveals the complexities of their magnetic behavior and how these intraparticle magnetic interactions manifest in useful material properties such as their performance as MRI contrast agents. This analysis allows predictions of the optimal iron loading through a quantitative modeling of antiferromagnetic coupling that arises from proximal iron ions. This study provides a detailed understanding of this complex class of synthetic biomaterials and gives insight into interactions and structures prevalent in naturally occurring melanins.
authors: College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065, China.
authors: Yiwen
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Yijun
authors: Y
authors: Xie
authors: Zhao
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: Nanzhi
authors: N
authors: Zang
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Alessandria, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Carniato
authors: Yuran
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh , 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
authors: Christopher M
authors: CM
authors: Andolina
authors: Lucas R
authors: LR
authors: Parent
authors: Treffly B
authors: TB
authors: Ditri
authors: Institute for Integrated Catalysis, and Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory , Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
authors: Eric D
authors: ED
authors: Walter
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" , Alessandria, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Botta
authors: Jeffrey D
authors: JD
authors: Rinehart
authors: Nathan C
authors: NC
authors: Gianneschi
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008543:Melanins / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D008543:Melanins; D007501:Iron
keywords: MRI; antiferromagnetic coupling; magnetometry; polymerization; synthetic melanin