Feasibility of superparamagnetic NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia

Superparamagnetic Ni-ferrite and their composite with graphene oxide nanoparticles are synthesized using simple hydrothermal method. The morphology and the crystal structure measurements show formation of spinel structure with cubic/octahedral shape nanoparticles with average particles size of 16.63 nm and 12.87 nm for NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 respectively. The magnetic properties show superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature with saturation magnetization of 50 and 35 emu/g and Coercivity of 35 and 25 Oe for NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 respectively. The zero-field cooling and field cooling magnetization dependence on temperature measurements yield blocking temperature of 315 and 257 K for NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 respectively. Those values confirm the superparamagnetic behavior of the samples. Moreover, the blocking temperature of the NiFe2O4 is within the therapeutic temperature range of magnetic hyperthermia therapy. The feasibility of hyperthermia reveals heating power of 165 and 15 W/g for NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 respectively, which is comparable and even much better than the previous published work by others. Therefore, the findings open new route for the potential of NiFe2O4 and GO-NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for hyperthermia and to be tested for in vitro/ in vivo hyperthermia in the future.