Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Synthesis, Functionalization and Application

Sophie Laurent, Morteza Mahmoudi, Ghenadii Korotcenkov

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2017
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• eBook ISBN:
  9780081012758
• Subtopic: Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications: Synthesis, Functionalization and Application begins with several chapters covering the synthesis, stabilization, physico-chemical characterization and functionalization of iron oxide nanoparticles. The second part of the book outlines the various biomedical imaging applications that currently take advantage of the magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles. Brief attention is given to potential iron oxide based therapies, while the final chapter covers nanocytotoxicity, which is a key concern wherever exposure to nanomaterials might occur. This comprehensive book is an essential reference for all those academics and professionals who require thorough knowledge of recent and future developments in the role of iron oxide nanoparticles in biomedicine. - Unlocks the potential of iron oxide nanoparticles to transform diagnostic imaging techniques - Contains full coverage of new developments and recent research, making this essential reading for researchers and engineers alike - Explains the synthesis, processing and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles with a view to their use in biomedicine

Part 1

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Chapter 1

Metal Oxide Particles and Their Prospects for Applications

S. Laurent*^,†; S. Boutry*^,†; R.N. Muller*^{,† ⁎} University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
^† Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI), Gosselies, Belgium

Abstract

Metal oxide nanoparticles have a lot of applications (microelectronics, energy, storage, environmental decontaminations, gas sensing, ceramic fabrication, biomedicine, catalysis, etc.). For example, magnetic nanosystems as titania, ceria, or iron oxide nanoparticles have received tremendous attention in diverse fields because of their unique physicochemical properties and the potential for a wide range of applications.

In this chapter, an overview of the different properties and applications of these materials have been presented, and then, we have developed several domains where these nanostructures are widely used thanks to their properties: magnetic, photoluminescent, or electronic properties; as catalysts; as gas sensing; in energy technologies; and in different biomedical applications as MRI or cancer treatment, antibacterial properties, or biomedical implants.

Keywords

Biomedical applications; Metal oxide nanoparticles; Magnetic resonance imaging; MRI; Catalysts; Contrast agents; Photoluminescence; Gas sensing

Metal oxides have an important role in a lot of chemical and physical areas. They have attracted many research interests thanks to their physicochemical properties; they have many applications in catalysis [1,2], gas sensing [3], transistors [4], microelectronics [5,6], energy storage and conversion [7,8], environmental decontamination [9], ceramic fabrication [10,11], biomedicine [12–14], and biosensors [15,16]. For example, metal oxides are considered as excellent catalysts because of their acidic and basic properties, which allow to be used as supports for highly dispersed metal catalysts or as precursors of a metal phase [17]. Transition metal oxides (TMOs) can play a key role in numerous reactions as selective oxidation, dehydration, photocatalysis, or electrocatalysis [18–20]. More particularly, TMOs can interact with surfaces of an appropriate carrier to develop monolayer structure of these oxides.

Metal oxide nanostructures can exhibit unique physical and chemical properties due to their limited size that influences basic properties in any material. There are a large variety of metal oxide nanoobjects such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoporous structures [21–27].

If gas-phase processes are successfully employed for the low-cost production of large amounts of nanopowders [28–30], liquid-phase syntheses are more flexible to control the structure, composition, and morphology of the nanomaterials. Liquid-phase ways include coprecipitation, sol-gel processes, hydrothermal methods, template synthesis, or biomimetic approaches [31].

Metal oxides exhibit fascinating electronic and magnetic properties (Table 1.1). For example, some oxides as RuO₂ or ReO₃ are metallic, whereas BaTiO₃ is an insulator. The magnetic properties of metal oxides include ferro-, ferri-, or antiferromagnetic behavior. Some oxides possess switchable orientation states as in ferroelectrics (titanates, niobates, or tantalates). Other fascinating classes of materials within the metal oxide family are the cuprate superconductors, the manganites showing colossal magnetoresistance or multiferroics combining ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism within the same material (BiFeO₃ or BiMnO₃) [54].

Table 1.1

Some examples of metal oxide nanoparticles and their applications

Kind of oxide	Properties	Applications	References
Bi2O3	Optoelectronic material, semiconductor with photocatalytic activity	Water treatment	[32]
Co3O4	Optical, magnetic, and electrochemical properties	Energy storage	[33–35]
CuO, Cu2O	Optical, electronic material	Antimicrobial agent	[35,36]
Fe2O3, Fe3O4	Magnetic properties	Biomedical applications—drug delivery, hyperthermia, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)	[37–40]
Sb2O3	Semiconductor material	Chemical catalysis	[41]
SiO2	Biocompatible properties	Biomedical applications, cosmetics	[42–44]
TiO2	Electronic properties	Environmental, biomedical applications, photocatalysis	[43,45]
CeO2	Electronic properties	Antioxidant effects, biomedical applications	[46,47]
UO2	Electronic properties	Nuclear applications	[48,49]
ZnO	Electronic properties	Decontamination of hydrogen sulfide gas	[50]
ZrO2	Electro-optical, piezoelectric, and dielectric material	Catalysis applications	[51,52]
SnO2	Optical and electronic properties	Biomedical applications	[53]

The other most widely used nanoparticles are TiO₂ (titania), ZrO₂ (zirconia), CeO₂ (ceria), or Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ (magnetic iron oxides). These materials present catalytic, antioxidant, and bacterial activities; good stability; and biocompatibility. They are used for numerous biomedical applications such as therapeutic and diagnostic agents, components in medical implants or drug delivery [55–60]. For example, titania with a biocompatible surface for cells and their proliferation is often used in medical implants [61,62]; magnetic iron oxides are reported for cell labeling, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and targeted drug delivery [63,64]; ceria is known for its catalytic and antioxidant activity [65–67].

Many reviews on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of metal oxides have been published [68–70]. Preparation of uniform nanoparticles with different controlled shapes has been described [71–78]. The physicochemical properties of the nanosystems can be tuned by changing the nature of the precursor or solvent or the experimental conditions. A stabilizer can be used during the synthesis of the nanoparticles (in situ synthesis or one-pot synthesis) or added to the already formed particles using adsorption, chemical grafting, or ligand exchange (postsynthesis). They are usually large molecules with functional groups that can be chemically or physically adsorbed on the particle surface, such as polysaccharides, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamides, silica, or gold layer onto the particle surface (Fig. 1.1).

Fig. 1.1 Different ways of stabilization of iron oxide nanoparticles. Reprinted with permission from A.H. Latham, M.E. Williams, Controlling transport and chemical functionality of magnetic nanoparticles, Acc. Chem. Res. 41(3) (2008) 411–420. Copyright 2008 American Chemical Society.

A lot of biomedical applications need surface modification with fluorophores and biological vectors (as peptides, organic mimetics, antibodies, or proteins) for targeted molecular imaging. Different strategies have been developed to obtain nanostructures with multiple functions on the surface (Fig. 1.2): drug carrier, biovectors, imaging probes, and mole...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Editors' Biography
• Series Editor's Biography
• Preface to the Series
• Part 1: Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
• Part 2: Biomedical Applications
• Index