Core/shell structured iron/iron-oxide nanoparticles as excellent MRI contrast enhancement agents

We report the use of metallic iron-based nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. Core/shell structured iron-based nanoparticles prepared by thermally decomposing organo-metallic compounds of iron at high temperature in the presence of hydrophobic surfactants were coated and stabilized in the aqueous solvent using the newly developed polysiloxane PEO-b-P gamma MPS (poly(ethylene oxide)blockpoly (gamma methacryloxypropyl trimethyl oxysilane)) diblock copolymers. Particles are well suspended in water and retain their coreshell morphology after coating with the copolymer. In comparison to the conventionally used iron-oxide nanoparticles, core/shell structured iron/iron-oxide nanoparticles offer a much stronger T-2 shortening effect than that of iron-oxide with the same core size due to their better magnetic properties. published by Elsevier B.V.