Impact of colloidal stabilization of MnZn-ferrite nanoparticles by oleic acid on their magnetothermal properties

Introduction: The development of magnetic agents for magnetic fluid hyperthermia application is a complex task requiring simultaneous optimization of chemical, biomedical, magnetic, and, in particular, thermal properties of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). In the majority of papers, the magnetothermal measurements are carried out on bare MNPs suspended in deionized water with subsequent optimization of the required physiological and medical properties, including toxicity and biocompatibility. However, in real hyperthermia practice, the stable fluids or colloids of magnetic MNPs are used, and the colloidal stabilization can significantly modify their magnetic properties, including magnetothermal ones. Methods: This paper is focused on the study of Zn x Mn 1- x Fe 2 O 4 MNPs stabilized by oleic acid/sodium oleate in this context. Results and Discussion: Our research demonstrates the crucial changes in the magnetic properties and magnetothermal response of ZnMn ferrite MNPs after the colloidal stabilization: while bare MNPs demonstrate significant coercivity, nonzero remanent magnetization, and superquadratic dependence of heat generation on the magnetic field amplitude, the magnetic properties of colloidal ZnMn ferrite MNPs are typical for superparamagnetic ones and their magnetothermal response is described by a conventional quadratic dependence on magnetic field amplitude. Various factors such as size distribution, magnetic anisotropy, and interparticle dipole–dipole interaction are considered as the origins of such an impact on magnetic MNPs’ properties.