The controllable destabilization route for synthesis of low cytotoxic magnetic nanospheres with photonic response

We present a new approach for obtaining magnetic nanospheres with tunable size and high magnetization. The method is implemented via controllable destabilization of a stable magnetite hydrosol with glycerol, leading to the formation of aggregates followed by their stabilization with the citrate shell. This inexpensive, simple and easily scalable approach required no special equipment. The obtained samples were characterized by high stability and magnetization over 80 emu/g. Effects of synthetic conditions on physicochemical properties of nanospheres were monitored by hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, and polydispersity of magnetite aggregates. The size of the resulting aggregates varied between 650 nm and 40 nm, and the zeta potential from +30 mV to −43 mV by changing the ratio of the reagents. Under optimal conditions the clusters with a diameter of 80 nm were produced with a narrow size distribution ±3 nm. These characteristics allowed for optical response to the external magnetic field, thereby producing a magnetic photon liquid. Due to biocompatibility of the reagents used in the synthesis the nanospheres evoked a negligible cytotoxicity for human non-malignant and tumor cell lines. These results make new materials valuable in photonics and biomedicine.