FeCo Magnetic Nanoparticles for Thermoablative Cancer Therapies

Michael E. McHenry and Michael Bockstaller, Materials Science

In previous work, FeCo nanoparticles with a few nanometer thick CoFe2O4 shell have been synthesized in a radio frequency plasma torch. From both x-ray diffraction data and TEM image analysis these particles have been found to be approximately 20 nm in diameter with moderate polydispersity. Further, these particles have been successfully dispersed in solution through the incorporation of sodium oleate as a surfactant and a stable magnetorheological fluid has been made.  The RF heating of these particles has been demonstrated in a 225 kHz radio frequency coil.  In new work we propose to extend these studies to investigate refinement of the materials to make more stable ferrofluids. 

This work will investigate two synthesis routes for producing finer, more monodisperse FeCo nanoparticles.  The first will use SPEX milling to further refine the size and reduce the agglomeration in plasma synthesized FeCo nanoparticles.  The second will use monodisperse, solution grown magnetic nanoparticles as provided through a collaboration with Northeastern University.  In both routes the particles will be functionalized using a suitable surfactant (sodium oleate has been used in the past) and further functionalized with PEG.  Antibody functionalization to promote nanoparticle attachment to specific cancer cells will be investigated with the aim of identifying a route for attachment to specific cancer cells in collaboration with the Hillman Cancer research Center.  The synergy between RF heating and heat shock protein inhibition will be studied.  This work will be coupled with refinements of Mathematica models for the point source heating of magnetic nanoparticles.