A team of investigators at Stanford University claim to be able to develop highly magnetic nanoparticles containing ruthenium that can be used as magnetic resonance tumour imaging agents.

They claim to be able to create the nanoparticles in vast numbers and the method can also be used to change the nanoparticles to achieve a varied range of magnetic properties.

According to reports from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) the ability to change the nanoparticles means they could be used in multiplexed biosensing applications.

Shan Wang, a member of the Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, studied therapy response and researchers have been attempting to create large numbers of the particles.

To make the particles two magnetic layers are sandwiched around a layer of nonmagnetic material, in this case ruthenium.

This ruthenium layer can vary in thickness to alter the magnetic properties of nanodiscs.

Researchers then stabilise the discs by adding a layer of tantalum.



Source:

Mass-producing tunable magnetic nanoparticles, 21.05.08
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=5784.php