Synthesis and studies of APTES functionalized magnetite nanoparticles

In this work, we report the synthesis of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) functionalized magnetite nanoparticles. Structure of the APTES functionalized nanoparticles was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) while their size and morphology were determined by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Magnetic properties were measured using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements. AC field induced heating ability of the nanoparticles was evaluated by the time-dependent calorimetric measurements using a RF generator. The functionalized nanoparticles were highly water soluble, monodispersed and superparamagnetic in nature with the blocking temperature at around 129 K. Cytotoxicity studies on MCF-7 cancer cells demonstrated that up to a dose of 10 mg/ ml, the APTES functionalized nanoparticles were nontoxic to the cells. The significant temperature rise of the functionalized magnetite nanoparticles upon exposure to AC magnetic field at 240 kHz frequency confirms their potential applicability for the magnetic hyperthermia treatment of cancer.