Microwave-assisted fabrication of carbon nanotubes decorated polymeric nano-medical platforms for simultaneous drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging

A facile microwave method to enable biopolymer particles to get functionalized by iron-enriched carbon nanotubes (CNT-Fe), serving as drug carriers and MRI agents. For example, multifunctional CNT-Fe coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (CNT-Fe-PLGA) particles (CFPP) are comprised of a PLGA core to carry cancer drugs, and CNTFe coating to provide a magnetic resonance (MR) signal. The process also gives the particles a unique brush-like, nanostructured surface morphology to enable a variety of biological and chemical activities.