Synthesis and characterization of PEGylated calcium ferrite magnetic particles for hyperthermia applications

In the current study, we have used solvothermal method to synthesize single phase calcium ferrite particles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in ethylene glycol medium. Four samples, one of which with no PEG and three of which with different amounts of PEG, were synthesized and undergone several characterization analyses. The crystallite size, phase and morphology of the particles were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The XRD patterns are related to single phase calcium ferrite particles with cubic spinel structure. The elemental analysis results from the EDX analysis proved the presence of Ca, Fe and oxygen in the bare calcium ferrite sample. The presence of the PEG on the coated samples was confirmed using thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The magnetic properties of the particles were measured by vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) method. The presence of the PEG on coated samples was further confirmed by the decrease of saturation magnetization values in proportion to the coating agent amount. The heat generation capability of the particles using a high frequency alternative magnetic field indicated that the particles are able to dissipate remarkable heat amount, making them suitable for hyperthermia applications.