Magnetic nanoparticles are unique candidates due to their potential usage in biomedical applications, such as MRI contrast agents, the thermal liquidation of the carcinoma (the so-called hyperthermia treatment) and targeted application of medicaments into the tissues [1, 2].
Existence of magnetic alignment in Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been theoretically predicted [1, 2], but the existence of localized magnetic moment on carbon atoms has not been experimentally observed yet. The main complication is the presence of residual metal catalyst, which is used in the preparation of CNTs, thus the removal of catalyst and subsequent approval of CNT purity is essential [3].
Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) is the method derived from the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), allowing visualization of the magnetic contrast (different orientation of magnetic moments) and is based on the measurement of the magnetic probe-sample interaction. Imaging of magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) is non-trivial because of the principal complications [1-3] (contribution of Van der Waals forces into the contrast, Fig. The full text >>
