Micelle-like Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Magnetically Enhanced Tumor Chemotherapy.

Using the coordination bonds between transition metal atoms and electron-rich functional groups, we synthesized two kinds of micelle-like nanoparticles. Using magnetic FeO as the core, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) brushes were grafted via activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET-ATRP), which formed micelle-like magnetic nanoparticles FeO/PAA-PMMA with a hydrophobic outer layer and FeO/PMMA-PAA with a hydrophilic outer layer. Both the micelle-like nanoparticles had amphiphilic properties and can be used to load hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs.

Construction of small-sized superparamagnetic Janus nanoparticles and their application in cancer combined chemotherapy and magnetic hyperthermia.

Novel Janus nanoparticles (J-NPs) are developed by using single iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles as the core and hydrophobic/hydrophilic polymeric brushes as the cloak. Because of the superparamagnetism and asymmetric functionality of J-NPs, they are used as drug carriers and therapeutic agents for cancer chemotherapy and magnetic hyperthermia with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guide. The asymmetric functionality is constituted of hydrophobic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) brushes and hydrophilic polyacrylic acid (PAA) brushes, which are 'grafting to' or 'grafting from' FeO nanoparticles via activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization.