Magnetic disks are a new generation of nanoparticles with outstanding properties to face biomedical challenges as a cancer treatment. The key features of their suitability are the ability of rotation (torque), the high dispersion capability, and the easy manipulation under low magnetic fields. These properties make disk-shaped particles ideal magnetomechanical actuators to damage cancer cell integrity, deliver antitumor drugs, generate heat (magnetic hyperthermia), or separate cancer cells for early detection. Since the experimental demonstration of the capability of destroying brain cancer cells by the force exerted from rotating Ni80Fe20 microdisks, important advances have been reported on disks composed of different magnetic materials and dimensions. Here, we present the evolution of a decade-old research field by combining the discussion of in vitro experiments available in the literature with our most recent results. More importantly, we compare the torque and dispersion capability of each type of magnetic disk in order to promote the investigation toward the most efficient magnetomechanical actuator to destroy cancer cells.

Permalloy hemispherical nanodots are able to host three-dimensional chiral structures (half-hedgehog spin textures) with non-zero topological charge at room temperature and in absence of DMI interaction.