International audienceA thermoresponsive hybrid system for drug delivery purposes is designed by modifying the surface of silica-coated magnetic lanthanum strontium manganite nanoparticles with block copolymers following a non-covalent approach. Block copolymers containing a short poly(L-lysine) segment and a polyether segment of varying composition are adsorbed through electrostatic interactions between positively charged lysine units and negatively charged SiO− groups at the silica surface, giving rise to mixed polyether brushes with a good control over the chain surface density and thickness of the polymer layer. The thermoresponsiveness of the assemblies is controlled by the ethylene oxide/propylene oxide ratio in the polymer brush and the corresponding LCST of the polyether blocks. Important parameters like the aggregation temperature of the particles can be finely adjusted by modifying this ratio. The polarity of the polymer layer can also be varied to maximize the encapsulation efficiency of a moderately hydrophobic drug like doxorubicin. Drug release experiments are performed by taking advantage of the ac magnetically induced heating properties of the magnetic core to speed up the release of doxorubicin owing to structural changes within the polyether brush

International audienceUnaggregated La_0.82Sr_0.18MnO_{3 + δ} perovskite nanoparticles with a mean crystallite size of 22 nm were successfully synthesized through an aqueous combustion process (Glycine Nitrate Process, GNP) which takes advantage of exothermic, fast and self-sustaining chemical reactions between metal nitrates and glycine as a suitable organic reducing agent. The influence of G/N molar ratio on the phase purity, crystallite size and manganese valency was screened. Fuel-rich conditions were selected to improve chelation of the cations in acidic pH and ensure an accurate control of the cationic composition. Fast calcination was optimized to enhance crystallinity of the nanoparticles and subsequent milling step was performed to favour their desaggregation. The manganite nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental chemical analysis, Mohr salt titration and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to a process derived from the Stöber's method, they were uniformly coated with a 5 nm thick silica shell, as evidenced by TEM, infrared spectroscopy, ζ potential measurements and dynamic light scattering experiments. Preliminary heating experiments in a ac magnetic field showed these core@shell nanoparticles fulfill the requirements for self-controlled magnetic fluid hyperthermia, considering their size (20–70 nm) and their maximum heating temperature (43 °C) which is controlled by the Curie temperature of the magnetic cores