Physical synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles and their biological activity in vivo

Abstract

The physical synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained from the vapor phase using the electron beam physical vapor deposition method is considered. The results of studying the structure of porous condensates of iron—sodium chloride compound, chemical and phase compositions, as well as nanoparticles size are presented. With a rapid removal from vacuum, iron nanoparticles are oxidized in the air to magnetite. In the initial state, they have significant sorption capacity with respect to oxygen and moisture, therefore, with further heating in the air, the porous condensate mass decreases up to the temperature 650 °C, primarily due to the desorption of physically sorbed moisture. Physically adsorbed oxygen participates in oxidation of Fe3O4–Fe2O3 in the range of 380–650 °C. An increase in condensation temperature is accompanied by an increase of nanoparticle size, as a result of which the total surface area of nanoparticles is significantly reduced, and, consequently, their sorption capacity is decreased. Even without stabilization, such nanoparticles studied as ex tempore prepared aqueous dispersion have characteristic anti-anemic effect in the laboratory animals that can be used in medicine.