Mechanical and thermal properties of polydimethylsiloxane/magnetite nanocomposites for cancer treatment by localized hyperthermia and Photothermal ablation

A combination of experiments and theoretical models is used to study the mechanical and thermal properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and magnetite nanoparticle-reinforced PDMS composites with the potential for applications in biomedical implants for localized hyperthermia and photothermal ablation. Composite samples with varying weight fractions (0,1, 5, and 10 wt.%) of Fe3O4 nanoparticles were fabricated and tested to determine their stress-strain behavior and fracture toughness. The measured mechanical properties are also compared with predictions from composite and toughening models. The implications of the results are discussed for the design of plasmonic/magnetic nanocomposites with attractive combinations of mechanical and thermal properties that are relevant to laser hyperthermia and photo-thermal-ablation.