Magnetic collagen fibers stabilized using functional iron oxide nanoparticles in non-aqueous medium

Abstract

We describe a green and sustainable approach to cross-link collagen fibers in a non-aqueous green medium using oleic acid coated iron oxide nanoparticles. The magnetic nanoparticles coated with oleic acid (OA) were prepared by a simple co-precipitation technique and characterized using X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The OA coated nanoparticles, with an average particle size of 5 nm and saturation magnetization of 23.5 emu g⁻¹, were well dispersed in heptane and interacted with the collagen fibers derived from skin trimming wastes. The derived thermo-stable magnetic collagen fibers were further utilized for oil removal applications. We demonstrate that the heptane reaction medium helps in achieving absorption of 8.2 g of used motor oil per g of magnetic collagen fibers with magnetic tracking ability. The approach showcases a simple synthetic protocol for preparing magnetic collagen fibers for possible applications in leather making and environmental protection.