NIR-responsive Fe3O4@PPy nanocomposite for efficient potential use in photothermal therapy

In this work, superparamagnetic Fe3O4@PPy nanocomposite with core-shell structure having strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption is synthesized via a facile two-step modified procedure. The prepared nanocomposite samples are characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, SEM, TEM, VSM, and XRD. The effects of laser power density (1.5-2.5 W cm(-2)) and aqueous concentration (0.01-0.2 mg ml(-1)) of the nanocomposite on the photothermal performance are investigated in the NIR region (808 nm). At 0.1 mg ml(-1) concentration, the temperature reaches up to 50.1 degrees C, 64.1 degrees C, and 78.4 degrees C within 10 min, under 1.5 W cm(-2), 2.0 W cm(-2), and 2.5 W cm(-2) NIR laser power density values, respectively. Photothermal conservation efficiency is calculated as 43.9% and the nanocomposite exhibits excellent photothermal stability. In summary, the core-shell Fe3O4@PPy nanocomposite is a promising candidate for photothermal therapy and simultaneous magnetic field-guided treatments.