Facile polyol synthesis of ultrasmall water-soluble cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

A facile protocol to prepare ultrasmall citrate-coated cobalt ferrite NPs was proposed from the comparison between one-step and two-step chemical routes based on the polyol method. Infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and zeta potential data indicated different coordinations of citrate groups affecting the NP colloidal stability. The magnetic core size and saturation magnetization were also affected. The surface-modified NPs prepared by the one-step route presented superior colloidal stability, low core (2.9 nm) and hydrodynamic (4.8 nm) sizes, high magnetization (45 emu/g), and can be considered suitable platforms to produce nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates.