Dynamics of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in viscous liquids in rotating magnetic fields

Abstract

The dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles in a viscous liquid in a rotating magnetic field has been studied by means of numerical simulations and analytical calculations. In the magneto-dynamics approximation three different modes of motion of the unit magnetization vector and particle director are distinguished depending on frequency and amplitude of the rotating magnetic field. The specific absorption rate of a dilute assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in rotating magnetic field is calculated by solving the Landau–Lifshitz stochastic equation for the unit magnetization vector and the stochastic equation for the particle director. At elevated frequencies an optimal range of particle diameters is found where the specific absorption rate of an assembly in a rotating magnetic field has a maximum. It is shown that with an optimal choice of the particle sizes sufficiently large SAR values of the order of 400–500 W/g can be obtained in a rotating magnetic field with a frequency f = 400 kHz and a moderate magnetic field amplitude H0 = 100 Oe.

Keywords

• magnetic hyperthermia
• magnetic nanoparticles
• numerical simulation
• rotating magnetic field
• specific absorption rate
• viscous liquid