Iron oxide nanoparticles are widely used for biological applications thanks to their outstanding balance between magnetic properties, surface-to-volume ratio suitable for efficient functionalization and proven biocompatibility. Their development for MRI or magnetic particle hyperthermia concentrates much of the attention as these nanomaterials are already used within the health system as contrast agents and heating mediators. As such, the constant improvement and development for better and more reliable materials is of key importance. On this basis, this review aims to cover the rational design of iron oxide nanoparticles to be used as MRI contrast agents or heating mediators in magnetic hyperthermia, and reviews the state of the art of their use as nanomedicine tools.

Because of the broad range of application of iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs), the control of their size and shape on demand remains a great challenge, as these parameters are of upmost importance to provide NPs with magnetic properties tailored to the targeted application. One promising synthesis process to tune their size and shape is the thermal decomposition one, for which a lot of parameters were investigated. But two crucial issues were scarcely addressed: the precursor's nature and water content. Two in house iron stearates with two or three stearate chains were synthesized, dehydrated, and then tested in standard synthesis conditions of spherical and cubic NPs. Investigations combined with modeling showed that the precursor's nature and hydration rate strongly affect the thermal decomposition kinetics and yields, which, in turn, influence the NP size. The cubic shape depends on the decomposition kinetics but also crucially on the water content. A microscopic insight was provided by first-principles simulation showing an iron reduction along the reaction pathway and a participation of water molecules to the building unit formation.

Exchange coupled core–shell nanoparticles present high potential to tune adequately the magnetic properties for specific applications such as nanomedicine or spintronics.