Nanoengineered Fe3O4–GO nanoscrolls: exploring the biofunctional applications through magnetic, optical, structural, and morphological analyses

Abstract

Magnetic hybrids with exceptional magnetic and optical properties have emerged as promising materials for diverse applications. In the present work, magnetite (Fe₃O₄)-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized using a facile in situ coprecipitation synthesis method. The in situ formation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles in the presence of GO led to the self-assembly of GO sheets into nanoscrolls. The structural and morphological properties of the nanoscrolls were evaluated. The optical properties were studied using UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy. Magnetic response assessment by vibrating sample magnetometer confirmed that Fe₃O₄–GONS had a good superparamagnetic property with maximum saturation magnetization of 54.4 (± 0.5) emu gm⁻¹. The superparamagnetic blocking temperature of the FGO 1 sample was evaluated by temperature-dependent magnetization studies. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the prepared nanocomposites was investigated using an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay on a fibroblast L929 cell line. The cell viability studies reveal that all the Fe₃O₄–GO nanohybrids exhibit excellent cell viability (above 80%) compared to that of the control sample. It is worth noting that the magnetic functionalization of GO with Fe₃O₄ and the scroll structure is a way to enhance the biocompatibility. This work suggests the promise of using multifunctional Fe₃O₄–GO hybrids in biomedical applications.