Development and characterization of a novel conductive polyaniline-g-polystyrene/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite for the treatment of cancer

Figures & data

Scheme 1. Strategies for the preparation of well-defined and conductive polymer-Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites.

Scheme 2. Synthesis of ATRP initiator onto Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.

Scheme 3. Metal catalyzed controlled radical polymerization of styrene onto Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle and functionalization of grafted polymer.

Scheme 4. Synthesis of conductive copolymer nanocomposite by in situ chemical oxidating polymerization.

Figure 1. X-ray diffraction spectra of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (a) Fe₃O₄/PSt (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi.

Figure 2. FT-IR spectra of (a) Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (b) Br-MPA and (c) Fe₃O₄/Br-MPA.

Figure 3. Energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX) analysis of Fe₃O₄/Br-MPA.

Table 1. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis of Fe₃O₄-Br-MPA macroinitiator.

Element	Weight %	Atomic %
C K	46.43	73.09
O K	11.57	11.74
Fe K	8.47	7.59
Br K	33.53	7.58
Totals	100	–

Figure 4. FT-IR spectra of (a) Fe₃O₄/PSt (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt-NO2 (c) Fe₃O₄/PSt-NH₂.

Figure 5. SEM image Of (a) Fe₃O₄ (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt.

Figure 6. FT-IR spectra of Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi nanocomposite.

Figure 7. SEM of Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi nanocomposite.

Figure 8. Thermogravimetric analysis of (a) Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt, (c) Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi nanocomposite.

Figure 9. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of (a) Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi nanocomposite.

Table 2. Characteristics of the conductive nanocomposite.

sample	Polymerization time(h)	Particle size (nm)	Shell thickness (nm)	Conductivity (σ(S/cm))
Fe3O4	–	10–21	–	–
Fe3O4/PSt-g-PANi	8	12–50	7–14	1.32

Figure 10. Cyclic voltammetry curves (CVs) of the chemically synthesized (a) homo-PANi (b) Fe₃O₄/PSt-g-PANi.