DEVELOPMENT OF MAGNETICALLY RESPONSIVE Fe3O4@C CORE/SHELL MICROSPHERES AS POTENTIAL VECTORS FOR DRUG-DELIVERY APPLICATIONS

The Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres were fabricated via a two-step process. Fe3O4 microspheres were firstly prepared, and Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres were subsequently fabricated using glucose as a carbon source by a hydrothermal route, in which the thickness of the carbon coating was about 20 nm. The resulting products were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). The Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms reveal their mesoporous structure and larger BET surface area (62.3 m(2)g(-1)). The Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres possess ferromagnetism and high saturation magnetization (39.2 emu center dot g(-1)). Bovine hemoglobin (BHb) was used as a model protein to test the adsorption and desorption properties of the Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres. The capacity for BHb adsorption was more than 71.3 mg/g. According to the values obtained in the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay the Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres show a low toxicity. Therefore, the prepared Fe3O4@C core/shell microspheres are of great significance for guided site-specific drug delivery.