Local heat sources

If an AC magnetic field with a specific frequency and amplitude is applied it is possible for the magnetic nanoparticles to absorb energy, resulting in an increase in the local temperature around the nanoparticle system. This is used in in-vivo applications in medicine to destroy tumour cells. In such cases, magnetic nanoparticles with materials with Curie temperatures around 42 ° C (the temperature at which the tumour cells are destroyed) are preferred. Overheating problems can be avoided with these materials. The nanoparticle system then works as a thermostat.

In other applications where local heating is required, magnetic particles can also be used. In all of these cases, it is important to really understand the magnetic properties of the particle systems. At Imego we have the capability required to optimize the magnetic particle system. The sizes of the nanoparticles are chosen to be thermally blocked or superparamagnetic depending on whether the nanoparticles are free to rotate or locked in a solid matrix.