DynoMag changes the game at the University of Florida

At the Rinaldi-Ramos Research Laboratory, University of Florida, research focuses on the behavior and biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles in time-varying magnetic fields, such as magnetic particle imaging and nanoscale thermal therapy. This interdisciplinary research encompasses theory and simulations, nanoparticle synthesis and characterization, and evaluation in biological environments. They needed a system to characterize the behavior and mobility of particles and complexes in fluid suspensions, and they found it in the DynoMag system.

"We’ve used the system for a long time to evaluate Brownian and Néel relaxation mechanisms. The particles we develop and characterize using the DynoMag have biomedical applications in imaging, drug delivery, and hyperthermia treatment," said Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D., Chair and Dean's Leadership Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida.

Developed at the RISE Magnetic Sensor Systems Laboratory in Gothenburg, the DynoMag system emerged as a game-changer, offering a reliable and integrated magnetic measurement solution for general magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) systems, biodetection using MNPs and nano-rheological measurements.

Bridging Disciplines and Applications

The DynoMag system is a key component for characterizing magnetic nanostructured materials, conducting nano-rheological studies, and advanced biomedical research. Its versatility spans various disciplines and application areas, making it a key component in over 160 scientific articles, particularly in the dynamic magnetic analysis of MNP systems.

By sweeping the frequency and measuring sample response, the DynoMag system, with its magnetic models, can identify magnetic relaxations and determine the particle size distribution for MNP systems in colloidal solution.

Fostering Innovation

The system is a portable easy to use AC susceptometer for measuring the dynamic magnetic properties of liquids, powders and solids at room temperature. Through EU projects like NanoMag and MagNaStand, the system and its methodology have evolved, resulting in an approved ISO standard for AC susceptometer (ACS) measurement methodology for MNPs.

"This standardization is crucial for standardizing MNP systems and employing specific analysis methods," emphasizes Christer Johansson, Senior Expert at RISE.

Dynomag has been a key instrument for our research over the past 10 years

"A key instrument for our research"

The DynoMag system's real-world applications are diverse, from dynamic magnetic characterization and monitoring the stability of MNP systems over time, to the detection of biological markers.

"Dynomag has been a key instrument for our research over the past 10 years," Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos said. "It helps us answer more fundamental questions."

Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos attests to the system's robustness, with its decade long use, but he highlights regular calibration of the system. He also notes the limitation of temperature control, which led them to complement the DynoMag system with a SQUID magnetometer for sensitive characterization with a temperature control, but then within a narrower frequency range compared to the DynoMag system.

A beacon facilitating breakthroughs

For the Rinaldi-Ramos Research Laboratory, the value of DynoMag extends beyond its technical capabilities. It serves as a turnkey instrument that provides magnetic characterization difficult to obtain by other means.

"The DynoMag system has allowed us to answer a lot of research questions and to better understand the nanoparticles we develop," Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos says. "To me, the value is in having a turnkey instrument that provides magnetic characterization that is difficult to obtain by other means."

In the intricate world of magnetic nanoparticle research, the DynoMag system stands as a beacon, facilitating breakthroughs, answering fundamental questions, and unlocking new possibilities in MNP applications.