Neste trabalho foram estudadas as nanopartículas magnéticas (NPs) de interesse em biomedicina de Fe3O4 e de Fe3O4 dopadas com Gd 5% pela técnica de Espectroscopia de correlação angular gama-gama perturbada (CAP). As amostras de Fe3O4 foram sintetizadas pelos métodos de co-precipitação e decomposição térmica e as nanopartículas de Fe3O4 dopadas com Gd 5% foram sintetizadas pelo método da coprecipitação. As amostras de nanoparticulas foram caracterizadas quanto a sua estrutura pela difração de raios X (DRX) e quanto ao seu tamanho pela técnica de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM). Os resultados mostram que as nanoparticulas de ferrita mostram estrutura pertencente ao grupo espacial Fd3m e que seu tamanho é de 10 nm quando sintetizada por decomposição térmica e entre 7 e 15 nm quando sintetizada por co-precipitação. As nanopartículas de Fe3O4 sintetizadas pelo método de decomposição térmica apresentaram maior monodispersão do que as nanopartículas sintetizadas pelo método de co-precipitação, ou seja, o tamanho de grão estava mais homogêneo. A técnica CAP mostrou que a variação de tamanho das nanopartículas infuencia no comportamento magnético das mesmas e o dopante Gd atrapalha a introdução da sonda radioativa por competir pelos sítios de Fe. / In the work reported in this dissertation, magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 and 5% Gddoped Fe3O4, which have applications in biomedicine, were studied by Perturbed Gamma-Gamma Angular correlation spectroscopy (PAC). Fe3O4 samples were synthesized by both, co-precipitation and thermal decomposition methods. Gd-doped Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized only by co-precipitation method. Analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the samples belong to Fd3m space group. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) showed that nanoparticles have sizes between 5 and 14 nm, suitable for biomedical applications. Fe3O4 nanoparticles synthesized by thermal decomposition method showed greater monodispersed nanoparticles than the samples synthesized by co-precipitation method. PAC technique using radioactive probe 111In (111Cd) showed that the size of the nanoparticles changes magnetic behavior and for the Gd-doped sample PAC measurements results showed that the introduction of radioactive probe is difficult due the presence of an impurity (Gd) and there is a competition for Fe sites between Gd and nuclear probe.

Alguns estudos do emprego de compostos de ferro como material adsorvedor não- convencional são citados em literatura. Foram feitos alguns testes da utilização de hematita (Fe2O3), o lodo galvânico e a lama de alto forno como adsorvedores para a remoção de metais pesados de efluentes industriais. A utilização de resíduo siderúrgico abundante, composto predominantemente por magnetita (Fe3O4), como adsorvedor não - convencional em processos de remoção de metais representa uma alternativa, de baixo custo, para o tratamento e adequação do efluente aos padrões de descarte de efluentes industriais exigidos pela legislação. Neste trabalho estudou-se a utilização de resíduo siderúrgico composto basicamente por magnetita como material adsorvedor para remoção de metais pesados em solução. O trabalho se concentrou no estudo da adsorção de quatro metais: cobre (Cu2+) , níquel (Ni2+) , chumbo (Pb2+) e o cádmio (Cd2+). Estes metais foram escolhidos devido a sua alta toxicidade e por estarem freqüentemente relacionados com efluentes de atividades industriais poluidoras. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que, nas melhores condições de adsorção, o resíduo apresenta características adsorvedoras favoráveis a sua utilização industrial, com 97,84 % de remoção dos íons de cobre, 96,20 % de íons de chumbo, 61,70 % de íons de níquel e 87,22 % de íons de cádmio em solução. A velocidade de adsorção é proporcional a aquelas obtidas para outros adsorvedores não convencionais, e para a remoção dos íons de chumbo varia entre (92 e 115) 10-3mg g1 min-1 , e o sistema de adsorção possui características espontâneas e endotérmicas em adsorção ativada com característica parcial de adsorção química e está de acordo com os modelos propostos por Langmuir e por Freundlich, característico de processo de adsorção em monocamada, com sítios de adsorção de mesma energia e calor de adsorção equivalente. / Various references on the use of ferrous compounds as non - conventional adsorption materials can be found in literature. According to the literature, such materials as hematite, galvanic slag and blast furnace slag were successfully used in liquid waste treatment for heavy metals removal. Thus, the use of abundant ferrous metallurgy slag may prove to be efficient for low cost treatment of liquid industrial waste. The main goal of the present work is the study of converter slag application as adsorber material for heavy metals removal from liquid waste. The present research was aimed at soluble copper ( Cu2+), nickel ( Ni2+ ) , cadmium ( Cd2+ ) , and lead (Pb2+) removal. These metals were chosen because of their high toxicity, and because they are considered as the most common pollutants present in liquid industrial waste. The obtained results on converter slag adsorption properties under optimized adsorption conditions show that 97,84 % of copper, 61,70 % of nickel, 87,22 % of cadmium and 96,20 % of lead can be removed from the liquid waste. The achieved adsorption rates are comparable to those of conventional adsorbers, and for soluble lead removal rates in the range of ( 92 - 115). 10 -3 mg g -1 min -1 were established. Additionally, if was shown that the investigated adsorption system presented spontaneous and endothermic behavior under conditions of activated adsorption with partial chemical adsorption characteristics. Such pattern is in good agreement with the models proposed by Langmuir and Freundlich for monolayer adsorption processes with adsorption centers having equal energy and specific heat of adsorption. Overall, the obtained results indicate the viability of the investigated material for commercial application.

In this manuscript, the application of different nanocatalysts derived from metal oxides impregnated on the surface of the magnetite in different reaction of general interest in Organic Chemistry is described. In the First Chapter, a cobalt derived catalyst was used to study the hydroacylation reaction of azodicarboxylates with aldehydes. In the Second Chapter, a catalyst derived from copper was used to perform different reactions, including homocoupling of terminal alkynes and the subsequent hydration reaction to obtain the corresponding 2,5-disubstituted benzofurans, the reaction of alcohols and amines (or nitroarenes) to obtain the corresponding aromatic imines, the cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction of N-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines using deep eutectic solvents and air as final oxidant. Finally, the formation of benzofurans from aldehydes and alkynes through a tandem coupling-allenylation-cyclization process has been performed. In the Third Chapter, a bimetallic catalyst derived from nickel and copper was used to study the multicomponent reaction between benzyl bromides, sodium azide and alkynes to obtain the corresponding triazoles. In the Fourth Chapter, a catalyst derived from palladium was used in the direct arylation of heterocycles using iodonium salts. Also the synthesis of 4-aryl coumarins through the Heck arylation reaction and subsequent cyclization using the same catalyst is described. In the last Chapter, the use of different eutectic mixtures were studied as alternative media to perform in a single vessel the cyclation reaction of N-hydroxy imidoyl chlorides and alkynes, without any type of catalyst under oxidizing conditions.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have found use in a wide variety of biomedical applications including hyperthermia, imaging and drug delivery. Certain physical properties, such as the ability to generate heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, make these structures ideal for such purposes. This study's objective was to elucidate the mechanisms primarily responsible for RF MNP heating and determine how such processes affect polymer solutions that might be useful in drug delivery. 15-20 nm magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles at 0.2% and 0.5% concentrations were heated with RF fields of different strengths (200 Oe, 400 Oe and 600 Oe) in water and in 0.5% gellan gum solution. Mixing and fan cooling were used in an attempt to improve accuracy of data collection. Specific absorption rate (SAR) values were determined experimentally for each combination of solvent, concentration and field strength. Theoretical calculation of SAR was performed using a model based on linear response theory. Mixing yielded greater precision in experimental determination of SAR while the effects of cooling on this parameter were negligible. Solutions with gellan gum displayed smoother heating over time but no significant changes in SAR values. This was attributed to low polymer concentration and lack of structural phase transition. The LRT model was found to be adequate for calculating SAR at low polymer concentration and was useful in identifying Neel relaxation as the dominant heating process. Heating trials with MNPs in 2% agar confirmed Neel relaxation to be primarily responsible for heat generation in the particles studied.

A magnetic target drug delivery system consisting of biodegradable polymeric microspheres (poly D, L-lactic acid) loaded with magnetite nanoparticles (10-100 nm) and anticancer drug (paclitaxel) was studied. The magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical precipitation. The as-synthesized magnetite nanoparticles were subsequently introduced into a mixture of polymer magnetic polymeric composite particles were investigated and further correlated with the reaction parameters. It was found that the size and characteristics of the polymeric composite particles depended on the viscosity of the polymer solution. Preliminary drug release experiments showed that the loaded drug was released with the degradation of the polymer. The release rates could be enhanced by an oscillating external magnetic field. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

This research work involves multifunctional magnetically targeted drug delivery microspheres for treatment against breast cancer. A combination therapy approach was followed by encapsulating two chemotherapeutics, 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) and cyclophosphamide in poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres. Magnetite nanoparticles and albumin were also incorporated in the microspheres to achieve targeted treatment. The microspheres were fabricated using oil-in-oil emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. Albumin is attracted to cancer cells and thus it is likely to draw the microspheres towards tumor cells. On application of magnetic field near tumor site, magnetites in the microspheres are likely to guide them to the region of magnetic field. This will allow release of drugs from microspheres in the cancer cells. Also the burst release of drugs and then slow release due to diffusion in the cancer cells lead to effective treatment and also limit excessive spreading of drugs in other regions of the body. Release rate study was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Invitro and in-vivo study was carried out to check the efficacy of treatment. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

This dissertation is divided into two parts. In the first, the general paradigm of scanned probe microscopy is outlined with a focus on atomic force microscopy and a few of its variations. Magnetic force microscopy is covered in detail as it forms the basis of the second part of this dissertation. The core elements and extra features of the instrument are described with attention paid to the upgrades made by the author. In the second part of this dissertation, background information on perovskite oxides and the inverse spinel system, magnetite, is given. Magnetic force microscopy studies were done on three thin film systems and are detailed. In the first study, ferromagnetic manganite films were subjected to discontinuous changes in strain due to structural transitions in their barium titanate substrates. The resulting effect on the magnetic domains was observed. In the second study, the ferromagnetism of a tensile-strained LaCoO₃ film was studied across temperatures from 4.3 K to 90 K and applied fields up to [mu]₀H=1.1 T. Finally, the properties of antiphase domains in magnetite films of varying film strain due to transition metal buffer layers was probed by imaging the magnetic domains which are pinned to the antiphase boundaries. / text

The level of risk originating from toxic (heavy) metals in the environment and ecological systems is continuously escalating due to our imprudent development of mineral resources such as coal and gold. For example, selenium as one of the major components in coal has contaminated surface and groundwater sources, and represents a threat to human and ecosystem health accumulation in organisms known as selenosis. Arsenic, like selenium, has also a negative effect to human beings, so called "arsenicosis" if it is accumulated in an organism through dietary pathways. Therefore, these elements have threatened waterways by contaminating surface and groundwater sources, and the WHO has established the drinking water quality guideline as 10 ppb for selenium and arsenic. The development of surface modified carbon nano-materials was motivated by considering how toxic metal species such as selenium and arsenic can be effectively removed from aquatic environments such as mineral tailings ponds found at mine sites. The materials design strategy employed herein hypothesizes of the incorporation of Lewis acid-base sites by the preparation of surface modified carbon nano-material with magnetite (magnetite composite). The resulting composite materials were anticipated to have variable π-π interactions and H-bonding between (non-)metals and ligands. These novel composite sorbents were evaluated for sorptive removal of selenium and arsenic species in aqueous solution at variable conditions. Selenium and arsenic have variable adsorption affinity onto the surface of magnetite (iron oxide) and its composites and goethite (iron oxyhydrate) in aqueous solution. The sorptive properties of these materials were correlated to the synthetic strategy as evidenced by the characterization of these minerals and their adsorbent properties. The adsorptive properties were evaluated by comparing the adsorption of inorganic selenium species with various adsorbents (magnetite, magnetite composites, activated carbon, and goethite) through adsorption kinetics and at equilibrium conditions. A novel “in situ” kinetic set-up for this experiment was developed using a non-magnetic stirrer device with a semi-permeable filtration barrier. The analytical measurement of selenium uptake was achieved using hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy. An arylarsenical (roxarsone) in aqueous solution was removed by using the same adsorbents used for selenium sorption and using a novel one-pot kinetic experiment with a non-magnetic stirrer and a dialysis-based tubing filter. Determination of roxarsone uptake was evaluated with UV-vis spectroscopy. This study showed the prepared magnetite composites might be excellent adsorbents for removing organic (aryl) and inorganic forms of Se and As chemical species in aqueous solution. The composite nature of the composite adsorbents suggests their potential as dual function sorbents due to their affinity toward organic (aryl) and inorganic anion species. In the occurrence of iron leaching, it was attenuated at low temperatures for the composite materials; whereas, greater leaching occurred above room temperature due to the increased thermal breakdown of magnetite particles in the pores or on the surface of activated carbon. In addition to the aforementioned tunable surface reactivity and surface area, magnetite composites have magnetic susceptibility properties that enable physical separation of adsorbents in water treatment processes by employing an electro-magnet to induce phase separation.

Under iron (Fe3+)-reducing conditions where aqueous Fe2+ and unreduced solid Fe3+-oxides commonly coexist, soil Fe2+ oxidation has been shown to be coupled with nitrate (NO3-) reduction. One possible secondary reaction is the involvement of NO3- and nitrite (NO2-) with Fe-oxide minerals found in many natural environments. Yet, spectroscopic measurements and kinetic data on reactivity of NO3- and NO2- with Fe-containing oxide minerals such as goethite (a-FeOOH), and magnetite (Fe3O­4) are not found in the literature. The reactivity of goethite and magnetite with NO3- and NO2- was studied over a range of environmentally relevant pH conditions (5.5-7.5) with and without added Fe2+(aq) under anoxic conditions. Laboratory experiments were conducted using stirred batch experiments and reaction products were analyzed using ion chromatography (IC), gas chromatography (GC), ultraviolet visible near infrared spectroscopy (UV-VIS-NIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Mössbauer, and Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Nitrate removal by goethite and magnetite was much slower when compared with NO2-. There was a pH-dependence in the reduction of NO2-, and the initial rate of NO2- removal was nearly 2 and 8 times faster at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.5 by magnetite and goethite, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) were identified as products when NO2- has reacted with magnetite, whereas N2O is the major reaction product in the experiment with goethite. In comparison to experiments containing magnetite or goethite alone, addition of Fe2+ greatly accelerated the NO2- removal rate. Wet chemical experiments combined with the Mössbauer study reveals that NO2- reduction to NO and subsequently to N2O by magnetite occurs via a heterogeneous electron transfer process. ATR-FTIR and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) results from the studies with goethite indicate that NO2- was removed from solution by adsorption in a surface complex involving the oxygen atoms, and a portion of the nitrite is reduced to NO and N2O. This study suggests that under anaerobic conditions soil and sediments that contain goethite, magnetite, and other Fe3+-oxides can catalyze abiotic NO2- reduction and the kinetics data from this study can be used to predict the NO2- removal under such conditions.

Opaque phases from carbonatites of the Grønnedal-Íka alkaline complex (1299±17 Ma) of Southwest Greenland were analyzed in terms of their mineralogy and microstructure. The analysis demonstrates that a later intrusion by a 55 m wide dolerite dyke of unknown age has prompted the mineralization of magnetite by activating hydrothermal fluid convection. The fluid has interacted with the carbonatite, replacing siderite and ankerite by magnetite, which at places constitutes over half of the rock volume. Magnetite is shown to have become partly replaced by hematite at a later stage. A paragenetic sequence is suggested for the opaque phases that com- prise major magnetite and hematite, accessory pyrite and trace amounts of sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. / Low-temperature geologic sequestration of carbon by ikaite formation