(705c) Distinguishing Between Amine and Carboxylate Bonds to Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Iron oxide nanoparticles are the subject of vast research areas, spanning many different disciplines including biology and catalysis.  In such research, molecules are attached to the particle surfaces in order to impart certain properties and enable further functionalizations.  Common moieties which are important for iron oxide functionalization include carboxylates and amines. 

In addition to their application in the functionalization of synthesized particles, amines and carboxylates are frequently present during particle syntheses.  However, there has been no conclusive analytic framework by which it could be determined whether or not amine containing ligands such as oleylamine had become attached to the particle surface.  Also, because many ligand molecules contain both an amine and carboxylate moiety, previous research has been unable to distinguish between various orientations of such molecules on the iron oxide nanoparticle surface. 

A combination of spectroscopic techniques is presented which will enable future research on iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles to determine whether the ligands are attached to iron oxide nanoparticles through amine or carboxylate moieties.