Magnetic Properties of Biocompatible CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles Using a Facile Synthesis

Abstract

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesised by a simple and cost-effective method using Co and Fe nitrates and freshly extracted egg white in an aqueous medium. X-ray diffraction patterns and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern results indicate that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles have spinel structure with Fd3m space group. The average particle size of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles is found to from 45 nm. Temperature and field dependence of magnetisation reveals that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles form ferrimagnetic in nature. A null cytotoxicity is observed in the CoFe2O4 nanoparticle which indicates that the material has an excellent biocompatibility. In order to check the importance of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles using the egg-white synthesis, the structural, magnetic and cytotoxicity of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles prepared via egg white method have been compared with that of sol–gel method. The eggwhite method adopted in the present study appears to be a promising route of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles for biomedical applications.