Insights on magnetic spinel ferrites for targeted drug delivery and hyperthermia applications

Magnetic spinel ferrite nanoparticles (SFNPs) attract high scientific attention from researchers due to their broad area for biomedicine applications, comprising cancer magnetic hyperthermia and targeted drug delivery. Uniquely, its excellent performance, namely, tuning size and surface morphology, excellent magnetism, extraordinary magnetically heat induction, promising biocompatibility, and specific targeting capacity, is essential for their effective utilization in clinical diagnosis and therapeutics of diseases. This review emphasizes the anticancer properties of nanoparticles of spinel ferrites with extra focus on the most recent literature. A critical review is provided on the latest applications of SFNPs in cancer therapy. Based on the results obtained from this review, SFNPs have the indefinite ability in cancer therapy through two mechanisms: (1) hyperthermia, where SFNPs, used as a hyperthermia mediator, elevated the tumor cells heat post-exposure to an external magnetic field and radiosensitizer during cancer radiotherapy; and (2) targeted drug delivery of cytotoxic drugs in tumor treatment. SFNPs induced apoptosis and cell death of cancer cells and prevented cancer cell proliferation.

Structural and magnetic properties analysis of trivalent Al3+ ions substituted Ni-Zn-Co nano-spinel ferrites

This study explored the structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic properties of Ni0.4Zn0.35Co0.25Fe2−x Al x O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.12) nano-spinel ferrites. Nanocrystalline cubic structure formation and weight loss percentage were determined by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA - DSC). Single-phase cubic spinel structures with Fd3m space group of synthesized samples were confirmed by Rietveld refinement X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The particle sizes were found to be in the range of 6.7 nm–5.25 nm, and agglomeration occurs inside the ferrite samples. The atomic planes and strong crystallinity were detected through SAED images. The characteristic peaks of the Raman spectra identified the bonding between the cations and anions in the sub-lattices. The optical bandgaps (E g ) were found to be in the range of 2.1 eV–2.52 eV. S-shape hysteresis (M-H) loops identified the superparamagnetic nature of the nano-samples. The studies’ outcomes indicated the applicability for biomedical applications of these nano samples.

Spinel Ferrite Based Nanomaterials for Water Remediation Application

The decreasing levels of consumable water on earth have been a serious issue and this issue makes the researchers and scientists develop new technologies for the purification of polluted water. Several reports have been carried on wastewater remediation by utilizing spinel ferrite-based nanoparticles and their composites. The spinel ferrites-based nanoparticles utilized for wastewater treatment was cost effective, chemically stable, easily retrieved and reusable. The present work addresses the various fabrication techniques for the preparation of spinel ferrite-based nanoparticles and their utilization for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants through the adsorption paths.

Suitability of Ferrites for Biomedical Applications

This chapter aims at the latest amelioration in the biomedical application of spinel ferrites. Magnetic hyperthermia treatment of tumour cells and contrast resonance imaging of human body parts, are a few applications of spinel ferrites that have gained substantial interest nowadays. The thermo-therapeutic and radiology based diagnosis treatment has many benefits over traditional methods used for disease diagnosis and imaging treatment of chronic carcinogenic origin diseases. The various types of doped and undoped spinel ferrite nanoparticles are investigated and optimised for different biomedical applications. Through this chapter, an attempt is made to provide readers the knowledge about various required characteristics and latest used strategies for the successful implementations of spinel ferrite in biomedical applications at commercial levels.

Recent Advances in Processing, Characterizations and Biomedical Applications of Spinel Ferrite Nanoparticles

Many researchers are interested in investigating ceramic materials because of the potential for their use in nanotechnology. Spinel ferrites are a diverse group of materials with many applications. Electronic devices such as inductors, power, information storage, microwave, and induction tuners are only a few examples. As ferrite materials exhibit super-paramagnetic activity, their potential for biological applications such as drug delivery, hyperthermia, and resonance magnetic imaging. As a result, super-paramagnetism is a highly desirable property in spinel ferrites. Due to the size dependence, the methodologies used to synthesis of these materials have emerged as a critical step in achieving the desired properties. Many synthesis strategies have been developed in this regard such as sol-gel, co-precipitation, solid-state, solution combustion method and so on. As a result, this study provides a historical overview of spinel ferrites, as well as key principles for comprehending their various characterization techniques and properties. Recent developments in the synthesis and applications of spinel ferrites are also discussed.