Development of Mag@ZIF-8 nanoplatforms via ferrofluid integration: A promising inorganic system for theranostics

The development of hybrid nanoparticles combining MOFs with ferrofluid merges the colloidal stability and recoverability of iron oxides with the high adsorption and loading capacities of MOFs, creating a promising nanoplatform for theranostic applications. This study investigated the synthesis of a core-shell nanosystem based on the conjugation of the MOF ZIF-8 onto ferrofluid (FF) chemically modified with polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The FF@ZIF-8 core-shell system was obtained by promoting the in situ growth of the MOF on the modified FF. Characterization results confirmed the formation of ZIF-8 on the magnetic nanoparticles, demonstrating the material's rapid magnetic response and the coexistence of both crystalline phases. PSS-modified exhibited more prominent ZIF-8 signals, indicating more robust MOF formation, consistent with the characterization data. This study demonstrated a strategy for producing the FF@ZIF-8 core-shell system, resulting in a nanomaterial with a strong magnetic response, achieved through an efficient and reproducible synthesis methodology.