Polyvinyl alcohol functionalized cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for biomedical applications

► Polyvinyl alcohol coating does not affect on structural properties of magnetic nanoparticles. ► Monodisperse characteristics and biocompatibility can be achieved with biocompatible polymer coating on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles. ► Surface properties of magnetic nanoparticles can be manipulate with polymer coatings. In the present work, cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 NPs) have been synthesized by combustion method. The surface of the CoFe2O4 NPs was modified with biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). To investigate effect and nature of coating on the surface of CoFe2O4 NPs, the NPs were characterized X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) results demonstrate the monodispersed characteristics of CoFe2O4 NPs after surface modification with PVA. The decrease in contact angle from 162° to 50° with PVA coating on NPs indicates the transition from hydrophobic nature to hydrophilic. The Magnetic properties measurement system (MPMS) results show that the NPs have ferromagnetic behavior with high magnetization of 75.04 and 71.02emu/g of uncoated and coated CoFe2O4 NPs respectively. These PVA coated NPs exhibit less toxicity over uncoated CoFe2O4 NPs up to 1.8mgmL−1 when tested with mouse fibroblast L929 cell line.