Magnetoimpedance Effect in CoFeMoSiB As-Quenched and Surface Modified Amorphous Ribbons in the Presence of Igon Oxide Nanoparticles of Water-Based Ferrofluid

Giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) has been proposed as a powerful technique for biosensing. In GMI biosensors based on the magnetic label detection the change of the impedance of sensitive element under the application of an external magnetic field was analyzed in the presence of magnetic nanoparticles in a test solution. Amorphous ribbon-based GMI biodetectors have an advantage of low operation frequency and low cost. In this work, magnetic and GMI properties of amorphous Co68.6Fe3.9Mo3.0Si12.0B12.5 ribbons were studied in as-quenched and surface modified states both without and in the presence of maghemite ferrofluid. After the surface modification the coercivity was slightly increased and saturation magnetization decreased in good agreement with increase of the surface roughness, a decrease of magnetic elements concentrations in the surface layer, and formation of a surface protective oxide layer. The GMI difference for as-quenched ribbons in absence and in the presence of ferrofluid was measurable for the frequency range of 2 to 10 MHz and the current intensities of 1 to 20 mA. Although the proposed surface modification by the ultrasound treatment did not improve the sensitivity limit for ferrofluid detection, it did not decrease it either

Water-Based Suspensions of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Electrostatic or Steric Stabilization by Chitosan: Fabrication, Characterization and Biocompatibility

Present day biomedical applications, including magnetic biosensing, demand better understanding of the interactions between living systems and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). In this work spherical MNPs of maghemite were obtained by a highly productive laser target evaporation technique. XRD analysis confirmed the inverse spinel structure of the MNPs (space group Fd-3m). The ensemble obeyed a lognormal size distribution with the median value 26.8 nm and dispersion 0.362. Stabilized water-based suspensions were fabricated using electrostatic or steric stabilization by the natural polymer chitosan. The encapsulation of the MNPs by chitosan makes them resistant to the unfavorable factors for colloidal stability typically present in physiological conditions such as pH and high ionic force. Controlled amounts of suspensions were used for in vitro experiments with human blood mononuclear leukocytes (HBMLs) in order to study their morphofunctional response. For sake of comparison the results obtained in the present study were analyzed together with our previous results of the study of similar suspensions with human mesenchymal stem cells. Suspensions with and without chitosan enhanced the secretion of cytokines by a 24-h culture of HBMLs compared to a control without MNPs. At a dose of 2.3, the MTD of chitosan promotes the stimulating effect of MNPs on cells. In the dose range of MNPs 10-1000 MTD, chitosan "inhibits" cellular secretory activity compared to MNPs without chitosan. Both suspensions did not caused cell death by necrosis, hence, the secretion of cytokines is due to the enhancement of the functional activity of HBMLs. Increased accumulation of MNP with chitosan in the cell fraction at 100 MTD for 24 h exposure, may be due to fixation of chitosan on the outer membrane of HBMLs. The discussed results can be used for an addressed design of cell delivery/removal incorporating multiple activities because of cell capability to avoid phagocytosis by immune cells. They are also promising for the field of biosensor development for the detection of magnetic labels

Electomagnetic absorption of composites based on epoxy resin and metallic iron nanoparticles

The heat losses originated from the electro-magnetic absorption in magnetic epoxy-based composites with embedded metallic iron nanoparicles were studied by Calvet microcalorimetry. Iron magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by electrical explosion of wire (EEW) method; they were non-agglomerated, spherical in shape and had a weight average diameter 85 nm. Composites based on the cured epoxy-dian resin contained MNPs in weight content varying from 10% up to 70% . To study the heat loss in alterating magnetic field commercial Calvet microcalorimeter was equiped by two coils in the serial connection placed in the calorimeter cells; one of the coils contained a sample of composite the other was a reference. The electromagnetic adsorption was studied in the alternating magnetic field up to 1700 A /m in 67 – 214 kHz frequency range. The measured values of the specific power losses revealed linear dependence on iron MNPs content in composite and non-linear increasing function of the field frequency

Selected features of morpho-functional reactions of eukaryotic microorganisms grown in the presence of maghemite iron oxide nanoparticles obtained by laser target evaporation

Biological activity of iron introduced into nutrient medium as a suspension of iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) synthesized by the laser target evaporation was investigated. Exophiala nigrum (E. nigrum) eukaryotes were grown either in the presence or in absence of MNPs. De-aggregated suspensions of Fe2.75O4 MNPs were added in concentrations of 1 to 104 maximum permissive dose (MPD, being 0.3 mg/L of Fe ions in water). Cells were exposed for 24 to 96 hours periods and then plated onto a solid medium. The effect of MNPs was evaluated by the change in the number of cells during exposure and the number and morphology of the colonies. For 1-10 MPD yeast showed unaltered characteristics. For 100 or 1000 MPD for 72 hours of exposure and above the number of cells increases up to 30 times in comparison with the control. A pronounced stimulating effect was revealed at 104 MPD of iron. A significant excess of the number of cells was observed for the first day. At exposures of 72 and 96 hours the differences in the number of cells in comparison with the control were 11 and 30 times, respectively. A change in the colonies morphology was observed at 100 MPD concentration

Gelation in Alginate-Based Magnetic Suspensions Favored by Poor Interaction among Sodium Alginate and Embedded Particles

Alginate gels are extensively tested in biomedical applications for tissue regeneration and engineering. In this regard, the modification of alginate gels and solutions with dispersed magnetic particles gives extra options to control the rheo-elastic properties both for the fluidic and gel forms of alginate. Rheological properties of magnetic suspensions based on Na-alginate water solution with embedded magnetic particles were studied with respect to the interfacial adhesion of alginate polymer to the surface of particles. Particles of magnetite (Fe3O4), metallic iron (Fe), metallic nickel (Ni), and metallic nickel with a deposited carbon layer (Ni@C) were taken into consideration. Storage modulus, loss modulus, and the shift angle between the stress and the strain were characterized by the dynamic mechanical analysis in the oscillatory mode. The intensity of molecular interactions between alginate and the surface of the particles was characterized by the enthalpy of adhesion which was determined from calorimetric measurements using a thermodynamic cycle. Strong interaction at the surface of the particles resulted in the dominance of the “fluidic” rheological properties: the prevalence of the loss modulus over the storage modulus and the high value of the shift angle. Meanwhile, poor interaction of alginate polymer with the surface of the embedded particles favored the “elastic” gel-like properties with the dominance of the storage modulus over the loss modulus and low values of the shift angle