Production of Cu _0.5 Zn _0.5 Fe ₂ O ₄ Nanostructures as a Hyperthermia Agent for Cancer Healing

Cancer is a pervasive and devastating disease affecting various parts of the body, posing significant challenges to human societies. Recently, the development of novel magnetic and biocompatible nanoparticles has emerged as a promising approach for magnetic hyperthermia in cancer treatment, complementing existing therapeutic methods. In the present work, Cu_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ mixed spinel nanoparticles were produced via a sol-gel combustion route. The produced magnetic nanopowders were studied via FTIR, SEM, XRD, and VSM techniques. XRD results confirmed the formation of the spinel structure of ferrites. Microstructural investigations showed that the synthesized nanoparticles have a particle size ranging from 20 to 200 nm. The VSM results displayed that the saturation magnetization and coercivity of Cu_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles were 57 emu/g and 24 Oe, respectively. Saturation magnetization for the Cu_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ specimens improved with increasing heat treatment temperature. In order to examine the samples' heating effectiveness for magnetic hyperthermia therapy, various magnetic fields were used. The temperature of the Cu_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ powders increased from 37°C to 47°C in 10 min when exposed to a 400-Oe magnetic field and 200-kHz frequency. Results showed that the fabricated products have the potential to be used as hyperthermia agents for cancer therapy. The novelty of this study focuses on the use of Cu_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ mixed spinel as a new hyperthermia agent with more biocompatible constituent elements.