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A new process combining double-miniemulsion/emulsion polymerization with Sol-gel technology to synthesize monodispersed hydrophilic magnetic nanospheres that exhibit a much higher saturation magnetization due to a large fraction of magnetite is developed. The superparamagnetic properties of nanospheres would allow them to serve as ideal candidates for biomedical applications such as nucleic acid extraction, cancer diagnosis and treatment, biosensors, and drug delivery.

The article presents a process to obtain monodispersed, nanoscale and superparamagnetic magnetite or polystyrene spheres. By uniquely combining modified miniemulsion/emulsion polymerization and the sol-gel technique, the surfaces of monodispersed nanospheres functionalized to be hydrophilic through silica coating. Aside from also serving as a buffer, the silica coating protected the magnetite nanoparticles from dissolving in the application environments.