To study the surface modified cobalt zinc ferrite nanoparticles for application to magnetic hyperthermia

In the present work, we have studied the influence of the annealing temperature and concentration of Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles as a heat generation material for hyperthermia therapy. Cobalt zinc ferrite (Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical co-perception method and annealed at 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C for 3 h. The structural characterization was carried out using an x-ray diffractometer, and all samples exhibit a single-phase spinel structure. The M-H loop of the as-dried and annealed samples revealed a narrow “S” shaped hysteresis cycle, which exhibits the superparamagnetic behavior of all samples. The Mössbauer spectrum of all samples at room temperature showed a doublet, which is the signature of the superparamagnetic nature, and it is in good agreement with the acquired M-H curves. Surface modifications of the as-dried and annealed nanoparticles were achieved by coating the nanoparticles with chitosan, and solutions of different concentrations (1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml, and 6 mg/ml) were prepared. Employing dynamic light scattering measurement, the hydrodynamic diameter of the chitosan-coated nanoparticles at 37 °C was found to be between 173 nm and 231 nm, and the polydispersity index was less than 0.30 for all concentrations. The induction heating measurements indicated that the heating efficiency of chitosan-coated nanoparticles increased according to the order of annealing temperature (600 °C > 400 °C > 200 °C> as-dried) and the solution of concentration (6 mg/ml > 4 mg/ml > 2 mg/ml > 1 mg/ml).