Obtaining of Ag@Fe3o4 magnetic nanocomposite with the "Core-Shell" structure for medical purpose

Purpose: The method of one-pot synthesis of Ag@Fe3O4 nanoparticles consisting of a spherical core of magnetite and silver islet shell has been developed. Formation of Ag@Fe3O4 composite structures such as "core-shell" will allow combining magnetic controllability of the magnetite core with bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties of the silver shell. This effect is very interesting from the perspective of using particles with the "core-shell" structure in pharmacy and medicine to create new medicines.Materials and methods: The study subject is magnetite with the islet silver coating obtained by the original single-phase method of chemical co-precipitation with the temperature increasing up to 60-70°C. The studies were conducted by the following methods: X-ray analysis, semi-quantitative phase analysis using the program Match!, scanning electron microscopy. The specific surface area of the samples was determined by thermal desorption of argon, magnetic characteristics were also determined.Results and conclusions: In the diffraction pattern the silver peaks at 44.6°, 52° and 76.65° were registered, while magnetite peaks did not disappear. It may indicate the islet surface of the magnetic cores. The ratio of the phases is confirmed by the data of the semi-quantitative phase analysis. According to the data of scanning electron microscopy the average particle sizes of the samples obtained were determined. The particle sizes of Fe3O4 were 60 nm and for Ag@Fe3O4 they were 23 nm. Ag@Fe3O4compared to the Fe3O4 one has a slightly larger specific surface area. Magnetization of saturation for the sample of an uncoated magnetite is 67.5 emu/g, for the sample with a silver coating it is 62.5 emu/g