Biomimetic magnetic nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles are of considerable interest because of their potential use in high-density memory devices, spintronics, and applications in diagnostic medicine. The conditions for synthesis of these materials are often complicated by their high reaction temperatures, costly reagents, and postprocessing requirements. Practical applications of magnetic nanoparticles will require the development of alternate synthetic strategies that can overcome these impediments. Biomimetic approaches to materials chemistry have provided a new avenue for the synthesis and assembly of magnetic nanomaterials that has great potential for overcoming these obstacles.