Iron oxide nanocapsules, method of manufacturing the same, and mri contrast agent using the same

A method of manufacturing iron oxide nanocapsules using an emulsification-diffusion method, comprising:

• a1) dissolving a biodegradable polymer in a polar organic solvent, adding iron oxide nanoparticles having a hydrophobic ligand attached thereto to the polar organic solvent, and performing ultrasonication, thus preparing a dispersion solution of iron oxide nanoparticles;
• b) mixing the dispersion solution of iron oxide nanoparticles with an aqueous surfactant solution and performing emulsification, thus preparing an emulsion;
• and
• c) adding water to the emulsion to perform diffusion, thus manufacturing iron oxide nanocapsules.

A method of manufacturing iron oxide nanocapsules using an emulsificaion-diffusion method, comprising:

• a2) dissolving a biodegradable polymer in a polar organic solvent;
• a3) dispersing iron oxide nanoparticles having a hydrophobic ligand attached thereto in a non-polar organic solvent having a boiling point lower than that of the polar organic solvent;
• a4) mixing the polar organic solvent having the biodegradable polymer dissolved therein with the non-polar organic solvent having the iron oxide nanoparticles dispersed therein, and performing distillation to remove the non-polar organic solvent, thus preparing a dispersion solution of iron oxide nanoparticles;
• b) mixing the dispersion solution of iron oxide nanoparticles with an aqueous surfactant solution and performing emulsification, thus obtaining an emulsion;
• and
• c) adding water to the emulsion to perform diffusion, thus manufacturing iron oxide nanocapsules.