Microfluidic-Assisted Production of Size-Controlled Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles-Loaded Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanohybrids

In this paper, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs, around 6 nm) encapsulated in poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles (PMMA NPs) with controlled sizes ranging from 100 to 200 nm have been successfully produced. The hybrid polymeric NPs were prepared following two different methods: (1) nanoprecipitation and (2) nanoemulsification–evaporation. These two methods were implemented in two different microprocesses based on the use of an impact jet micromixer and an elongational-flow microemulsifier. SPIONs-loaded PMMA NPs synthesized by the two methods presented completely different physicochemical properties. The polymeric NPs prepared with the micromixer-assisted nanoprecipitation method showed a heterogeneous dispersion of SPIONs inside the polymer matrix, an encapsulation efficiency close to 100 wt %, and an irregular shape. In contrast, the polymeric NPs prepared with the microfluidic-assisted nanoemulsification–evaporation method showed a homogeneous dispersion, an almost complete encaps...