Preparation, structural and magnetic characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles incorporated into smart polymers for drug delivery

Abstract

The preparation of novel water-soluble carriers, such as hydrophilic gels, is one of the many strategies for obtaining controlled-release forms of drugs and represents a major area of research in biomedical applications. Within this context, the main focus of this project is to add the functionality of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with those of temperature-dependent copolymers such as Poloxamer 407 (PL 407) as potential drug carrier vehicles. Such copolymers are known to increase the bioavailability and blood circulation time, also acting in the pharmaceutical formulation to improve the solubility of hydrophobic drugs. Several types of copolymers-containing nanoparticles are obtained in order to stabilize and maintain suspensions in a medium with high ionic strength, as in pharmaceutical applications. Thus, this project is based on two main lines. The first is to synthesize superparamagnetic magnetite iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) of the magnetite type, Fe3O4, by the method of coprecipitation of Fe (II) and Fe (III) salts. The second one will be based on the incorporation of these magnetic NPs into PL 407 hydrogels in order to use them in biomedical applications. The structural, morphological and magnetic characterization and the efficiency of incorporation of the nanoparticles into the hydrogels will be carried out at the UFABC Multiuser Experimental Center (CEM) facility.