Fabrication of Ferrogels using different magnetic nanoparticles and their perfomance in protein adsorption

JIMENA S. GONZÁLEZ; VERÓNICA S. LASSALLE; PAULA NICOLÁS; MARÍA LUJÁN FERREIRA; MARCELO AVENA; VERA A. ALVAREZ

POLYMER INTERNATIONAL

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: LOndres; Año: 2013 vol. 63 p. 258 - 265

0959-8103

Magnetic biomaterials were prepared using magnetite and chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles (CSNPs) dispersed in poly(vinyl alcohol) gels. Two different methods were developed to obtain ferrogels: in situ co-precipitation of magnetite (Ferro-IS) and by adding previously synthesized CSNPs to the neat matrix (Ferro-CSNPs). In both cases, the crosslinking was carried out by freezing thawing. The as-prepared materials as well as precursor CSNPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electronic microscopy (scanning and transmission), X-ray diffraction, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and magnetic properties. The performance of these gels as protein adsorbents was evaluated. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as amodel. Substantially different adsorption behaviour was found using Ferro-IS and Ferro-CSNPs. This was assigned to dissimilar bonding mechanisms of BSA to the ferrogelmatrix. Hence, biomaterials potentially useful in drug delivery as well as in protein purification fieldsmay be prepared by a relatively simple, non-toxic and low cost method.