Microwave-Assisted Silanization of Magnetite Nanoparticles Pre-Synthesized by a 3D Microfluidic Platform
Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu,
Alina Moroșan,
Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă,
Oana Gherasim,
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea,
Bogdan Ștefan Vasile,
Bogdan Purcăreanu,
Dan Eduard Mihaiescu,
Marius Rădulescu,
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Affiliations
Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alina Moroșan
Department of Organic Chemistry, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Oana Gherasim
Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele, Romania
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdan Ștefan Vasile
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdan Purcăreanu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Dan Eduard Mihaiescu
Department of Organic Chemistry, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Marius Rădulescu
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu St., 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) are among the most investigated nanomaterials, being recognized for their biocompatibility, versatility, and strong magnetic properties. Given that their applicability depends on their dimensions, crystal morphology, and surface chemistry, Fe3O4 NPs must be synthesized in a controlled, simple, and reproducible manner. Since conventional methods often lack tight control over reaction parameters and produce materials with unreliable characteristics, increased scientific interest has been directed to microfluidic techniques. In this context, the present paper describes the development of an innovative 3D microfluidic platform suitable for synthesizing uniform Fe3O4 NPs with fine-tuned properties. On-chip co-precipitation was performed, followed by microwave-assisted silanization. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized from the compositional and microstructural perspectives by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, supplementary physicochemical investigations, such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Kaiser Test, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectrophotometry, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Thermogravimetry and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG-DSC) analyses, demonstrated the successful surface modification. Considering the positive results, the presented synthesis and functionalization method represents a fast, reliable, and effective alternative for producing tailored magnetic nanoparticles.
