Fabrication and characterization of chitosan-poly(acrylic acid) magnetic nanospheres.

Iron oxide nanoparticles modified with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), were encapsulated with a natural polymer with abundant primary amino groups, chitosan (CS), to improve their biocompatibility. Characterization was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetirc analysis, transmission electron microscope analyses, vibrating sample magnetometer, zeta potential analyzer. It was found that highly ordered spherical aggregates with a mean diameter of 98 nm are obtained. The formation of aggregates depended on cross-linking of acrylic acid (AA) monomers and CS. These biodegradable CS-PAA polymer magnetic nanospheres might be useful for various biomedical applications.