Hybrid Au/Co nanoparticles: Laser-assisted synthesis and applications in magnetic hyperthermia

Developing contamination-free techniques for synthesizing nanostructures, especially bimetallic nanoparticles for hyperthermia applications has gained more attention in recent years. Au/Co nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation in distilled water due to its simple, rapid, environmentally friendly, and contamination-free nature. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape and 15 nm in size. The phase structure of the synthesized NPs was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). UV–visible spectrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques were used to study the optical and magnetic properties of the synthesized materials. Au/Co nanoparticles showed non-mutagenic potential against S. Typhimurium TA-98 and S. Typhimurium TA-100 strains. Furthermore, a lab-made apparatus was used to study the magnetic hyperthermia of Au/Co nanofluid. The specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.4 W/g was estimated for magnetic field strength of 177 μT. The study shows that the synthesized nanoparticles have magnetic hyperthermia potential.