Synthesis, magnetic properties, surface modification and cytotoxicity evaluation of Y3Fe5-xAlxO12 (0≤x≤2) garnet submicron particles for biomedical applications

Yttrium aluminum iron garnet Y3Fe5−xAlxO12 compounds were produced by the citrate gel process by varying the aluminum content x from 0 to 2. Particles with an average size of about 100 nm and a specific surface area ranging from 6 to 28 m2/g were obtained. Curie temperatures (TC) were determined from the temperature dependence of the field-cooled magnetization (FCM) and the remnant magnetization (REM) and range from –40°C to 280°C. According to the magnetic moment variation, the aluminum cation seems to replace the iron cation in the tetrahedral site for compounds with x