Properties of assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in viscous liquid

Detailed calculations of the specific absorption rate (SAR) of a dilute assembly of iron oxide nanoparticles with effective uniaxial anisotropy dispersed in a liquid are performed depending on the particle diameters, the alternating (ac) magnetic field amplitude H-0 and the liquid viscosity. For small and moderate H-0 values with respect to particle anisotropy field H-k the SAR of the assembly as a function of the particle diameter passes through a characteristic maximum and then reaches a plateau, whereas for sufficiently large amplitudes, H-0 similar to H-kI the SAR increases monotonically as a function of diameter. The realization of viscous and magnetic oscillation modes for particle unit magnetization vector and director for moderate and sufficiently large H-0 values, respectively, explains this behavior. It is found that the SAR of the assembly changes inversely with the viscosity only in a viscous mode, for nanoparticles of sufficiently large diameters. In the magnetic mode the SAR of the assembly is practically independent of the viscosity, since in this case the nanoparticle director only weakly oscillates around the ac magnetic field direction. The conditions for the validity of the linear response theory have been clarified by comparison with the numerical simulation data.

Automated summary

Detailed calculations of the specific absorption rate (SAR) of dilute iron oxide nanoparticles with effective uniaxial anisotropy dispersed in a liquid were performed, showing different behaviors depending on particle diameters and the alternating magnetic field, with the relationship to viscosity being dependent on nanoparticle size. The behavior of SAR was explained by viscous and magnetic oscillation modes, with SAR practically independent of viscosity in the magnetic mode.