Superparamagnetic magnetite/IPEC particles

Abstract Hybrid magnetic composites are materials with great potential for use in biomedicine and effluent treatments, as their organic phase may be used in the adsorption/release of pollutants/drugs and their magnetic properties for separation/transport of particulate systems based on these materials. In this work we obtained magnetic composite particles made of magnetite nanoparticles dispersed in a polymeric matrix resultant from the formation of interpolyelectrolyte complexes based on chitosan and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate). Non-stoichiometric positive and negatively charged interpolyelectrolyte complexes were obtained and characterized via thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potentiometry, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The samples obtained in this work showed that nanometric magnetite was incorporated to these systems and that the resultant composites were superparamagnetic. Preliminary tests showed that the composites may be used both in the sorption of cationic and anionic drugs.