Water-dispersible multiwalled carbon nanotube/iron oxide hybrids as contrast agents for cellular magnetic resonance imaging

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 50; no. 6; pp. 2162 - 2170
• Main Authors: Yin, Min, Wang, Mingliang, Miao, Fei, Ji, Yuxuan, Tian, Zhong, Shen, Hebei, Jia, Nengqin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Contrast agents; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; General and physical chemistry; Imaging; Iron oxides; Magnetic resonance imaging; Materials science; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Multilayers; Nanoparticles; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physics; Specific materials; Water; Nanoparticles; Polyelectrolyte; Iron oxide; Acids; Multilayer; Multiwalled nanotube; Imaging; Magnetic resonance; Transition element compounds; Carbon nanotubes
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2012.01.026

Novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes decorated with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were explored. They were functionalized with multilayer polyelectrolytes through layer-by-layer assembling and were shown to be hydrophilic, biocompatible, and have a high MRI contrast. A targeted ligand folic acid was chemically bonded to the functionalized nanotubes for specific targeting and imaging of cancer cells in MRI. The results demonstrate that the material can be used as ideal targeted imaging agents and is sufficient to obtain strong MRI contrast.