Preparation and Characterization of Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this work, we aimed to prepare a magnetic ferrite compound related to nanotechnology especially zinc ferrite, has garnered significant attention. Due to its excellent biocompatibility. It has the potential to serve as a foundation for numerous biomedical applications. The nanoscale properties of zinc ferrite and its ability to incorporate specific functional groups on its surface have enabled its use in potential drug delivery systems. In this study, zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZFNPs) were synthesized using the co-precipitation method, followed by surface functionalization with Hyaluronic Acid (HA). The nanoscale properties and surface structure of both ZFNPs and ZF@HA were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface modification of ZF was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). XRD analysis confirmed the formation of a single-phase cubic structure, and the functional groups were verified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Nanoscale ZF particles with a crystalline size of approximately 12.97 nm were obtained, which increased to 16.8 nm in ZF@HA, with homogeneous distribution within the crystalline structure.