Magnetically-Active Carbon Nanotubes at Work

Endohedral and exohedral assembly of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) recently gave birth to a large body of new hybrid nanomaterials (MNPs-CNTs) featuring properties that are otherwise not in reach with only the graphitic or metallic cores themselves. These materials feature enhanced magnetically guided motions (rotation and translation), magnetic saturation and coercivity, large surface area, and thermal stability. By guiding the reader through the most significant examples in this Concept paper, we describe how researchers in the field engineered and exploited the synergistic combination of these two types of nanoparticles in a large variety of current and potential applications, such as magnetic fluid hyperthermia therapeutics and in magnetic resonance imaging to name a few. Nano-synergy: Merging of carbon nanotubes and magnetic nanoparticles gave birth to hybrids featuring properties not in reach with only the graphitic or metallic cores themselves. This has opened the way to a wide range of applications, such as magnetic fluid hyperthermia or magnetic resonance imaging among others (see figure).