Magnetic nanoparticles combined with natural protein fibres

Abstract

Human hair and sheep wool are the natural protein fibres of complex structure, composed of Į-keratin chains are analyzed as basic components for the fabrication of nanomaterials. After carrying out some successful experiments in which we demonstrate that silver nanoparticles can be immobilized on the surface and inside hair and wool fibers [1, 2], we attempted to use another type of metal-containing nanoparticles and unite in one composite material such properties as superparamagnetism of iron oxide and nonmagnetism of natural protein fiber. The hair fibers, immersed in a reductant solution in order to break their surface disulfide groups, were placed in a Į-Fe2O3 – nanoparticle suspension while synthesis. After some time, the fiber surface took on a brown tinge. Hematite-containig nanoparti cles were found to penetrate not only into the hair cuticle but also into melanin granules inside the fibre volume. Electron magnetic resonance data (Varian Spectrometer, 9.1 GHz) indicates that the nanoparticles produced in the matrix are upeparamagnetic at room temperature. This interesting finding suggests that such a carrier can be associated with a magnetic bubble. The observed line width and effective g-factor are comparable to those reported for superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in a nonmagnetic matrix. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/20653