Effect of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on the Thermal Characteristics of Supramolecular, Dendritic and Macromolecular Capping Agents

Abstract The present study aimed at the enhancement of the thermal characteristics of different capping agents belonging to different macromolecular families, with the incorporation of iron oxide nanoparticles. Iron oxide nanocomposites were prepared following a simple reduction protocol using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) succeeded by air oxidation. Three iron oxide composites were prepared using different biocompatible capping agents. The capping agents used in the present study were supramolecular β-cyclodextrin, dendritic hyperbranched polyglycerol and macromolecular starch. The chemical nature of the composites was successfully confirmed by spectroscopy. The well characterized composite systems were studied for their thermal characteristics using TG/DTG and DSC measurements. The primary focus of the study was to analyse any change in the thermal behaviour of the pure encapsulating systems on incorporation with the iron oxide species. The analysis was conducted by comparing the TG/DTG and DSC measurements of the pure capping agents- cyclodextrin, hyperbranched polyglycerol and starch with their respective nanoparticle incorporated composites.