Preparation and characterization of Fe3O4 magnetic composite microspheres covered by a P(MAH-co-MAA) copolymer

A magnetic core–shell-layered polymer microsphere (MPS) was successfully synthesized by a dispersion polymerization route, where the modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MFN) were used as a core, while poly(maleic anhydride-co-methacrylic acid) P(MAH-co-MAA) as a shell was covered on the surface of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESME) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements indicate that the magnetic P(MAH-co-MAA)/Fe3O4 composite microspheres assume sphericity and have a novel core–shell-layered structure. The crystal particle sizes of the unimproved Fe3O4 and the MFN samples vary from 8 to 16 nm in diameter, and the average size is about 10.6 nm in diameter. The core–shell magnetic composite microspheres can be adjusted by changing the stirring speed. Since multiple Fe3O4 cores were coated with a proper percentage of P(MAH-co-MAA) copolymers, and therefore lower density was acquired for the MPS, which improved sedimentation and dispersion behavior. The saturated magnetization of pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles reaches 48.1 emu g−1 and the value for composite nanoparticles was as high as 173.5 emu g−1. The nanoparticles show strong superparamagnetic characteristics and can be expected to be used as a candidate for magnetism-controlled drug release.