Recent advances in the use of iron–gold hybrid nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increased interest in iron–gold-based hybrid nanostructures, due to their combined outstanding optical and magnetic properties resulting from the usage of two separate metals. The synthesis of these nanoparticles involves thermal decomposition and modifi-cation of their surfaces using a variety of different methods, which are discussed in this review. In addition, different forms such as core–shell, dumbbell, flower, octahedral, star, rod, and Janus-shaped hybrids are discussed, and their unique properties are highlighted. Studies on combining optical response in the near-infrared window and magnetic properties of iron–gold-based hybrid nanoparticles as multifunctional nanoprobes for drug delivery, magnetic–photothermal heating as well as contrast agents during magnetic and optical imaging and magnetically-assisted optical bio-sensing to detect traces of targeted analytes inside the body has been reviewed.