Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Surface Functionalization Strategies

TLDR

Surface‑functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are emerging functional materials widely used in biotechnology and catalysis, requiring high magnetic saturation, stability, biocompatibility, and surface‑interactive properties that can be tailored with organic or inorganic coatings. This review surveys recent advances and strategies for preparing, structuring, and tuning the magnetic properties of naked and surface‑functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles and their applications. The authors examine the key challenges and propose directions for synthesizing and surface‑functionalizing iron oxide nanoparticles. Future trends and prospects for these research areas are highlighted.

Abstract

Surface functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are a kind of novel functional materials, which have been widely used in the biotechnology and catalysis. This review focuses on the recent development and various strategies in preparation, structure, and magnetic properties of naked and surface functionalized iron oxide NPs and their corresponding application briefly. In order to implement the practical application, the particles must have combined properties of high magnetic saturation, stability, biocompatibility, and interactive functions at the surface. Moreover, the surface of iron oxide NPs could be modified by organic materials or inorganic materials, such as polymers, biomolecules, silica, metals, etc. The problems and major challenges, along with the directions for the synthesis and surface functionalization of iron oxide NPs, are considered. Finally, some future trends and prospective in these research areas are also discussed.