Novel facile and eco-friendly synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles using iron ferrous chloride for enhancing biomedical applications: effect of Gum Arabic coating

Synthesis of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (NPs) with high purity, stability, and small sizes for biomedical applications is in high demand. The research on Fe₃O₄ NPs has been rapidly expanding and holds considerable promise for advancing new technologies and enhancing existing ones. Herein, Fe₃O₄ was synthesized from iron ferrous chloride (II) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on air, and then coated with gum Arabic (GA) in a single step. The characterizations were investigated using UV–Vis absorption, ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Compared to bare Fe₃O₄, GA-coated magnetite nanoparticles (GA-Fe₃O₄) showed a uniform cubic morphology with a mean size of 8.61 ± 1.31 nm. Stability studies were performed via dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique, zeta (ζ) potential, and observing the precipitation of NPs over 5 weeks. GA-Fe₃O₄ showed higher stability of -34.5 mV compared to -23.1 mV for bare Fe₃O₄. Further, GA-Fe₃O₄ NPs demonstrate interesting magnetic properties that can be efficiently separated from the reaction medium with the aid of an external magnet. The magnetic properties of GA-Fe₃O₄ were confirmed through VSM analysis, revealing a significantly high saturation magnetism of approximately 226 emu/g. GA-Fe₃O₄ NPs are promising magnetic NP_S that can offer several benefits in biomedical applications, such as increased biocompatibility, improved stability, and enhanced functionality. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)