Application | Requirements | References |
---|---|---|
Drug delivery | Stability of drug-nanoparticle composite to guarantee no premature release Composite optimally entirely biodegradable High magnetization for precise and efficient magnetic transport | |
Contrast agents | High magnetization desired to achieve good contrast Ability to strongly shorten relaxation times in tissue | |
Hyperthermia | Specificity needed towards target tissue and ability to penetrate cells Magnetic anisotropy (shape, crystallinity, surface properties) and size/size-distribution influence heating efficiency 15–20 nm core size optimal with low dispersity to achieve high heating efficiency | |
Blood purification | Good dispersions for optimal binding speed to target High magnetization or larger particles (for SPIONs) for a later efficient separation Stable coating, non-interactive with other blood species High specificity needed for removal of non-abundant moieties (e.g. CTC) |