Catechol Derivative RAFT Agent for Surface Functionalization of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Abstract

Functional nanoparticles (NPs), Fe3O4@SiO2-PMEMA, were prepared via surface initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, using catechol-based biomimetic RAFT agent incorporating a trithiocarbonate unit and 2-N-morpholinoethyl methacrylate (MEMA) as the monomer. Poly(2-N-morpholinoethyl methacrylate) (PMEMA) were synthesized on biomimetic RAFT agent functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs surface. The prepared NPs were characterized at the different modification stages using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The magnetic properties of NPs were also determined by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).