Description and purpose
The U-MagFinger project aims to advance scientific knowledge on the multidisciplinary research area of nanotechnology to make innovative magnetic tags capable of exchanging, tracking, identifying, and encrypting information. In particular, the project impacts the encoding/decoding technology by using a controlled assembly of magnetic polymeric supraparticles as unique magnetic fingerprints readable by magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS).
Purpose
The proposed scientific approach paves the way for improving research in the field of nanomaterial-based encoding/decoding of signals, seeking to improve essential characteristics such as high stability over time, resistance to adverse environmental conditions, remote decoding, and easily expandable encoding capacity.
The U-MagFinger project is based on multidisciplinary activities in closely related scientific areas, such as physical and chemical sciences and polymer science, paving the way for future involvement in the engineering sector.
Expected results
The project work plan includes the following experimental phases: the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with different shapes, sizes, and compositions using a non-hydrolytic sol-gel approach; the preparation of magnetic polymeric supramolecules using an emulsion process in water to obtain magnetic nanoparticles incorporated into the thermoplastic matrix; the quantitative assembly of supraparticles to encode a distinctive magnetic fingerprint and the creation of a portfolio of unique magnetic codes for the design of innovative magnetic tags.
Achieved results
Different types (in terms of shape, size, and elemental composition) of nanoparticles were synthesized using non-hydrolytic sol-gel synthesis from organometallic precursors (Fe, Ni, Mg, and Co acetylacetonates) in benzyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanediol. Supraparticles were prepared by emulsion in water, dispersing the nanoparticles in different polymer matrices (PLA, PHBH; PS, PBAT). The supraparticles were analyzed by magnetic spectroscopy, giving unique and different magnetic responses depending on the type of nanoparticles and polymers used.
