Fabrication of triple-layered magnetite-hydrogel-gold nanocomposites for biomedical applications

Magnetite-hydrogel-gold nanocomposites with optical-active, thermo-responsive, and magnetism have been prepared by the following consecutive steps. Hydrogel-encapsulated magnetites were first synthesized by the combination of sol-gel reaction and radical polymerization process, and the resulting magnetic hydrogels were subsequently bound with nano-sized Au (1-3 nm) via a molecular linkage of diamine ligand which was covalently bonded to the carboxylic groups on the hydrogel surface. Au seeds anchored on the magnetic hydrogels were further reduced into nano-scale Au layer which induced the distinct red-shift of absorption band into NIR region. The optical properties and surface morphology of the nanocomposites were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).