In situ synthesis of magnetic poly(N-tert-butyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/Fe3O4 nanogels for magnetic resonance imaging

RSC Advances Pub Date: 2016-06-20 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA10258A

Abstract

Poly(N-tert-butylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/Fe3O4 (P(TBA-co-AA)/Fe3O4) nanogels have been synthesized successfully by two steps: firstly, poly(N-tert-butylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(TBA-co-AA)) nanogels were synthesized through emulsion precipitation polymerization by using N-tert-butylacrylamide (TBA) and acrylic acid (AA) as reactive monomers; then P(TBA-co-AA)/Fe3O4 nanogels were synthesized by in situ oxidation of Fe2+ into Fe3O4 nanoparticles inside the networks of the P(TBA-co-AA) nanogels. The prepared P(TBA-co-AA)/Fe3O4 nanogels were about 70 nm in dry state, and 118.9 nm in aqueous solution with a low polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.124. The small size and low PDI of the magnetic nanogels could be applied in living body. Besides, the nanogels had good superparamagnetic property, and high r2 relaxivity value of about 512.01 mM?1 s?1. These magnetic properties endowed the nanogels with a new ability to be applied in T2-style imaging. In short, this work would provide the possibility of using the P(TBA-co-AA)/Fe3O4 nanogels as contrast agents for high resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Graphical abstract: In situ synthesis of magnetic poly(N-tert-butyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/Fe3O4 nanogels for magnetic resonance imaging
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