Magnetic Chitosan Bionanocomposite Films as A Versatile Platform for Biomedical Hyperthermia.

Responsive magnetic nanomaterials offer significant advantages for innovative therapies, for instance in cancer treatments that exploit on-demand delivery on alternating magnetic field (AMF) stimulus. In this work, biocompatible magnetic bionanocomposite films are fabricated from chitosan by film casting with incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) produced by facile one pot synthesis. The influence of synthesis conditions and MNP concentration on the films heating efficiency and heat dissipation are evaluated, through spatio-temporally mapping of the surface temperature changes by video-thermography. The cast films have a thickness below 100 μm and upon exposure to AMF (663 kHz, 12.8 kA m -1 ) induce exceptionally strong heating, reaching a maximum temperature increase of 82°C within 270 s irradiation. Further, we demonstrate that the films can serve as substrates that supply heat for multiple hyperthermia scenarios, including: (i) non-contact automated heating of cell culture medium; (ii) heating of gelatine-based hydrogels of different shapes, and (iii) killing cancerous melanoma cells. The films are versatile components for non-contact stimulus with translational potential in multiple biomedical applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.