Striking Stabilization Effect of Spinel Cobalt Oxide Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts in Neutral pH by Dual-Sites Iron Incorporation

Developing stable and efficient nonprecious-metal-based oxygen evolution catalysts in the neutral electrolyte is a challenging but essential goal for various electrochemical systems.Particularly,cobalt-based spinels have drawn a considerable amount of attention but most of them operate in alkali solutions.However,the frequently studied Co-Fe spinel system never exhibits appreciable stability in nonbasic conditions,not to mention attract further investigation on its key structural motif and transition states for activity loss.Herein,we report exceptional stable Co-Fe spinel oxygen evolution catalysts(~30%Fe is optimal)in a neutral electrolyte,owing to its unique metal ion arrangements in the crystal lattice.The introduced iron content enters both the octahedral and tetrahedral sites of the spinel as Fe^(2+)and Fe^(3+)(with Co ions having mixed distribution as well).Combining density functional theory calculations,we find that the introduction of Fe to Co_(3)O_(4)lowers the covalency of metal-oxygen bonds and can help suppress the oxidation of Co^(2+/3+)and 0^(2-).It implies that the Co-Fe spinel will have minor surface reconstruction and less lattice oxygen loss during the oxygen evolution reaction process in comparison with Co_(3)O_(4)and hence show much better stability.These findings suggest that there is still much chance for the spinel structures,especially using reasonable sublattices engineering via multimetal doping to develop advanced oxygen evolution catalysts.

Carbon Monoxide Modulates Auxin Transport and Nitric Oxide Signaling in Plants under Iron Deficiency Stress

Carbon monoxide(CO)and nitric oxide(NO)are signal molecules that enhance plant adaptation to environmental stimuli.Auxin is an essential phytohormone for plant growth and development.CO and NO play crucial roles in modulating the plant’s response to iron deficiency.Iron deficiency leads to an increase in the activity of heme oxygenase(HO)and the subsequent generation of CO.Additionally,it alters the polar subcellular distribution of Pin-Formed 1(PIN1)proteins,resulting in enhanced auxin transport.This alteration,in turn,leads to an increase in NO accumulation.Furthermore,iron deficiency enhances the activity of ferric chelate reductase(FCR),as well as the expression of the Fer-like iron deficiency-induced transcription factor 1(FIT)and the ferric reduction oxidase 2(FRO2)genes in plant roots.Overexpression of the long hypocotyl 1(HY1)gene,which encodes heme oxygenase,or the CO donor treatment resulted in enhanced basipetal auxin transport,higher FCR activity,and the expression of FIT and FRO2 genes under Fe deficiency.Here,a potential mechanism is proposed:CO and NO interact with auxin to address iron deficiency stress.CO alters auxin transport,enhancing its accumulation in roots and up-regulating key iron-related genes like FRO2 and IRT1.Elevated auxin levels affect NO signaling,leading to greater sensitivity in root development.This interplay promotes FCR activity,which is crucial for iron absorption.Together,these molecules enhance iron uptake and root growth,revealing a novel aspect of plant physiology in adapting to environmental stress.

Co-pyrolysis of soybean soapstock with iron slag/aluminum scrap,and characterization and analysis of their products

Soybean soapstock(SS) is one of the main solid wastes produced in the refinery of edible oil processing. In this study, the co-pyrolysis of SS with iron slag(IS) and aluminum scrap(AS) was carried out in a tubular furnace. The gas, liquid and solid products were characterized and the char yield decreased with increasing IS/AS ratio. IS and AS can improve the gas yield, and when the ratio of SS/IS was 1:0.25, the total pyrolysis gas and hydrogen contents were significantly increased. The content of oxygen compounds in pyrolysis oil decreased during co-pyrolysis, while AS promoted the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pyrolysis oil. The co-pyrolysis reaction can be divided into four stages, the mass loss rate reaches the maximum at the third stage(390–575 ℃). The molar ratio of H/C was lower for pyrolysis,indicating good stability of pyrolysis char owing to the high degree of carbonization and aromaticity.The possible co-pyrolysis reaction mechanism was explored.

Effect of competing solutes on arsenic(Ⅴ) adsorption using iron and aluminum oxides

The study focused on the effect of several typical competing solutes on removal of arsenic with Fe2O3 and Al2O3. The test results indicate that chloride, nitrate and sulfate did not have detectable effects, and that selenium（Ⅳ） （Se（Ⅳ）） and vanadium（Ⅴ） （V（Ⅴ）） showed slight effects on the adsorption of As（Ⅴ） with Fe2O3. The results also showed that adsorption of As（Ⅴ） on A12O3 was not affected by chloride and nitrate anions, but slightly by Se（Ⅳ） and V（Ⅴ） ions. Unlike the adsorption of As（Ⅴ） with Fe2O3, that with Fe2O3 was affected by the presence of sulfate in water solutions. Both phosphate and silica have significant adverse effects on the adsorption of As（Ⅴ） adsorption with Fe2O3 and Al2O3. Compared to the other tested anions, phosphate anion was found to be the most prominent solute affecting the As（Ⅴ） adsorption with Fe2O3 and Al2O3. In general, Fe2O3 has a better performance than Al2O3 in removal of As（Ⅴ） within a water environment where multi competing solutes are present.

Effect mechanism of aluminum occurrence and content on the induration characteristics of iron ore pellets

With the intensified depletion of high-grade iron ores,the increased aluminum content in iron ore concentrates has become unavoidable,which is detrimental to the pelletization process.Therefore,the effect mechanism of aluminum on pellet quality must be identified.In this study,the influence of aluminum occurrence and content on the induration of hematite(H)and magnetite(M)pellets was investigated through the addition of corresponding Al-containing additives,including alumina,alumogoethite,gibbsite,and kaolinite.Systematic mineralogical analysis,combined with the thermodynamic properties of different aluminum occurrences and the quantitative characterization of consolidation behaviors,were conducted to determine the related mechanism.The results showed that the alumina from various aluminum occurrences adversely affected the induration characteristics of pellets,especially at an aluminum content of more than 2.0wt%.The thermal decomposition of gibbsite and kaolinite tends to generate internal stress and fine cracks,which hinder the respective microcrystalline bonding and recrystallization between Fe2O3particles.The adverse effect on the induration characteristics of fired pellets with different aluminum occurrences can be relieved to varying degrees through the formation of liquid phase bonds between the hematite particles.Kaolinite is more beneficial to the induration process than the other three aluminum occurrences because of the formation of more liquid phase,which improves pellet consolidation.The research results can further provide insights into the effect of aluminum occurrence and content in iron ore concentrates on downstream processing and serve as a guide for the utilization of high-alumina iron ore concentrates in pelletization.

Efficient degradation of dye pollutants in wastewater via photocatalysis using a magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide-based catalyst

In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept study of the enhancement of photocatalytic activity via a combined strategy of fabricating a visible-light responsive ternary heterostructure and improving overall photostability by incorporating magnetic zinc oxide/graphene/iron oxide (ZGF). A solvothermal approach was used to synthesize the catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic, energy dispersive X-ray, transmission electron microscopic, vibrating sample magnetometric, and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the synthesized samples. The obtained optimal Zn(NO_(3))_(2) concentration, temperature, and heating duration were 0.10 mol/L, 600℃, and 1 h, respectively. The XRD pattern revealed the presence of peaks corresponding to zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide, indicating that the ZGF catalyst was effectively synthesized. Furthermore, when the developed ZGF was used for methylene blue dye degradation, the optimum irradiation time, dye concentration, catalyst dosage, irradiation intensity, and solution pH were 90 min, 10 mg/L, 0.03 g/L, 100 W, and 8.0, respectively. Therefore, the synthesized ZGF system could be used as a catalyst to degrade dyes in wastewater samples. This hybrid nanocomposite consisting of zinc oxide, graphene, and iron oxide could also be used as an effective photocatalytic degrader for various dye pollutants.

An amorphous manganese iron oxide hollow nanocube cathode for aqueous zinc ion batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries(ZIBs) are attracting considerable attentions for practical energy storage because of their low cost and high safety.Nevertheless,the traditional manganese oxide cathode materials suffer from the low intrinsic electronic conductivity,sluggish ions diffusion kinetics,and structural collapse,hindering their large-scale application.Herein,we successfully developed a latent amorphous Mn_(1.8)Fe_(1.2)O_(4) hollow nanocube(a-H-MnFeO) cathode material derived from Prussian blue analogue precursor.The amorphous nature endows the cathode with lower diffusion barrier and narrower band gap compared with crystalline counterpart,resulting in the superior Zn^(2+) ions and electrons transport kinetics.Hollow structure can furnish abundant surface sites and suppress the structural collapse during the repeated charge/discharge processes.By virtue of the multiple advantageous features,the a-H-MnFeO cathode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance,in terms of high capacity,excellent rate capability,and prolonged cycle life.This strategy will pave the way for the structural design of emerging cathode materials.

Recent Progress in Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles(SPIONs)have immeasurable potentials in many fields such as nanobiotechnology and biomedical engineering because of their superparamagnetic properties and small particle size.This review introduces the methods for SPIONs synthesis,including co-precipitation,thermal decomposition,microemulsion and hydrothermal reaction,and surface modification of SPIONs with organometallic and inorganic metals,surface modification for targeted drug delivery,and the use of SPIONs as a contrast agent.In addition,this article also provides an overview of recent progress in SPIONs for the treatment of glioma,lung cancer and breast cancer.

Effects of soil organic matter components and iron aluminum oxides on aggregate stability during vegetation succession in granite red soil eroded areas

Soil aggregates determine the basic structure of soil,and their composition and stability are influenced by the various types of cementitious substances occurring in soil.To explore the main limiting factors of soil aggregation in the process of vegetation succession with granite as the parent material,five stages of vegetation succession in an eroded area were selected:bare land(BL),grassland(GL),grassland shrub transition land(GS),shrubland(SL)and secondary forest(SF).Soil samples were collected to determine the composition and stability of aggregates.The contents of organic and inorganic cementitious substances,including organic matter components and iron aluminum oxides,were determined at five soil aggregate grain levels.The results indicated that the stability of soil aggregates and the>0.25 mm water-stable aggregate content(WR_(0.25))increased with vegetation succession.Based on the Le Bissonnais(LB)method,the mean weight diameter(MWD)of soil aggregates increased,and the relative dissipation index(RSI)and relative mechanical crushing index(RMI)decreased.The humic acid(HA)and fulvic acid(FA)contents in soil aggregates increased with vegetation succession,and the soil humus content at the SF stage increased by more than 13.54%over the BL level.Upon different vegetation succession stage,the iron and aluminum oxides for the SL and the SF were at a high level,and the contents of free-form iron oxide(Fe_(d))and amorphous iron oxide(Fe_(o))for BL were high.Correlation analysis indicated that the soil humic degree(PQ)and the contents of amorphous alumina(Al_(o))were positively correlated with aggregate stability to varying degrees.Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that PQ values of 1-2 mm(PQ_(2))and 0.25-0.5 mm(PQ_(4))aggregates,the contents of Fe_(o) of bulk soil(Fe_(oB)),>2 mm(Fe_(o1)),1-2 mm(Fe_(o2)),and<0.25 mm(Fe_(o5))aggregates,and the contents of Al_(o) of>2 mm(Al_(o1))aggregates could explain 99.4%of the changes in soil aggregate stability at different vegetation succession stages.Al_(o1) had a contribution rate of 71.2%and is the key factor for improving the stability of soil aggregates.

Contribution of Iron and Aluminum Oxides to Electrokinetic Characteristics of Variable Charge Soils in Relation to Surface Charge

The contribution of iron and aluminum oxides to electrokinetic characteristics of variable charge soils was studied through determination of electrophoretic mobilities of the red soils treated with either removal of iron oxides or coating of aluminum oxides, and of those deferrated under natural conditions. After removal of the iron oxides, zeta potentials of the latosol and the red earth decreased obviously with a shift of IEP to a lower pH, from 6.4 to 5.3 and 4.1 to 2.4 for the former and the latter, respectively, and the electrokinetic change for the latosol was greater than for the red earth. Zeta potentials of the kaolinite sample increased markedly after coated with iron oxides. The striking effect of iron oxides on electrokinetic properties of the soils was also demonstrated by the electrokinetic differences between the samples from the red and white zones of a plinthitic horizon formed naturally, and between the samples from the gley and bottom horizons of a paddy soil derived from a red earth. The coatings of aluminum oxides on the latosol and the yellow earth made their zeta potentials rise pronouncedly and their IEPs move toward higher pHs, from 6.2 to 6.8 and 4.3 to 5.3 for the former and the latter, respectively. The samples with different particle sizes also exhibited some electrokinetic variation. The experiment showed that the effects of iron and aluminum oxides were closely related to the pH and type of the soils.

Caveolin‑1 is critical for hepatic iron storage capacity in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Background:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is associated with disordered lipid and iron metabolism.Our previous study has substantiated the pivotal role of Caveolin-1(Cav-1)in protecting hepatocytes and mediating iron metabolism in the liver.This study aimed to explore the specific mechanisms underlying the regulation of iron metabolism by Cav-1 in NAFLD.Methods:Hepatocyte-specific Cav-1 overexpression mice and knockout mice were used in this study.Cav-1-knockdown of RAW264.7 cells and mouse primary hepatocytes were performed to verify the changes in vitro.Moreover,a high-fat diet and palmitic acid plus oleic acid treatment were utilized to construct a NAFLD model in vivo and in vitro,respectively,while a high-iron diet was used to construct an in vivo iron overload model.Besides,iron concentration,the expression of Cav-1 and iron metabolism-related proteins in liver tissue or serum were detected using iron assay kit,Prussian blue staining,Western blotting,immunofluorescence staining,immunohistochemical staining and ELISA.The related indicators of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress were evaluated by the corresponding reagent kit and staining.Results:Significant disorder of lipid and iron metabolism occurred in NAFLD.The expression of Cav-1 was decreased in NAFLD hepatocytes(P<0.05),accompanied by iron metabolism disorder.Cav-1 enhanced the iron storage capacity of hepatocytes by activating the ferritin light chain/ferritin heavy chain pathway in NAFLD,subsequently alleviating the oxidative stress induced by excess ferrous ions in the liver.Further,CD68^(+) CD163^(+) macrophages expressing Cav-1 were found to accelerate iron accumulation in the liver,which was contrary to the effect of Cav-1 in hepatocytes.Positive correlations were also observed between the serum Cav-1 concentration and the serum iron-related protein levels in NAFLD patients and healthy volunteers(P<0.05).Conclusions:These findings confirm that Cav-1 is an essential target protein that regulates iron and lipid metabolic homeostasis.It is a pivotal molecule for predicting and protecting against the development of NAFLD.

Silicon Mitigates Aluminum Toxicity of Tartary Buckwheat by Regulating Antioxidant Systems

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a considerable factor limiting crop yield and biomass in acidic soil. Tartary buckwheatgrowing in acidic soil may suffer from Al poisoning. Here, we investigated the influence of Al stress on the growthof tartary buckwheat seedling roots, and the alleviation of Al stress by silicon (Si), as has been demonstrated inmany crops. Under Al stress, root growth (total root length, primary root length, root tips, root surface area, androot volume) was significantly inhibited, and Al and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulated in the root tips. At thesame time, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase activities, polyphenols, flavonoids, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) free-radical scavenging abilitywere significantly decreased. After the application of Si, root growth, Al accumulation, and oxidative damage wereimproved. Compared to Al-treated seedlings, the contents of ·O2− and MDA decreased by 29.39% and 25.22%,respectively. This was associated with Si-induced increases in peroxidase and CAT enzyme activity, flavonoidcompounds, and free-radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS). The application of Si therefore has positive effectson Al toxicity in tartary buckwheat roots by reducing Al accumulation in the roots and maintaining oxidationhomeostasis.

High temperature oxidation of inoculated high Si/SiMo ductile cast irons in air and combustion atmospheres

The present work aims to investigate the effect of heating temperature(400,600 and 800°C)and inoculating elements(Ca,Ca-Ba,Ca-RE)on oxidation behavior of ductile irons containing 5.25%Si and 4.8%Si-2.3%Mo in dry air and combustion gas containing water vapour(natural gas burning).The oxidation is influenced by the gas atmosphere type,the iron alloying system,and the inoculating elements depending on the heating temperature.The weight gain increases from 0.001%-0.1%(400°C)to 0.05%-0.70%(600°C)and up to 0.10%-2.15%(800°C).No particular effects of the considered influencing factors are found when heating at 400°C,while at 600°C,mainly the oxidation gas atmosphere type shows a visible influence.At the highest heating temperature of 800°C,a limited increase of the weight gain is found for dry air atmosphere(up to 0.25%),but it drastically increases for combustion atmospheres(0.65%-2.15%).The water vapour presence in the combustion atmosphere is an important oxidising factor at 600-800°C.The alloying system appears to influence the oxidation behavior mainly at a heating temperature of 800°C in the combustion atmosphere,as evidenced by the lower weight gain in 5.25%silicon cast iron.Positive effects of inoculating elements increase with the heating temperature,with Ca and Ba-FeSi inoculation generally showing better performance.Irons inoculated with CaRE-FeSi exhibit a higher degree of oxidation.These results are in good relationship with the previous reported data:Ca-Ba-inoculation system appears to be better than simple Ca for improving the graphite parameters,while RE-bearing inoculant negatively affects the compactness degree of graphite particles in high-Si ductile irons.As the lower compactness degree is typical for graphite nodules in high-Si ductile irons,which negatively affects the oxidation resistance,it is necessary to employ specific metallurgical treatments to improve nodule quality.Inoculation,in particular,is a potential method to achieve this improvement.

A critical review towards the causes of the iron-based catalysts deactivation mechanisms in the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur from biogas

Hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S) not only presents significant environmental concerns but also induces severe corrosion in industrial equipment,even at low concentrations.Among various technologies,the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulfide(SOH_(2)S) to elemental sulfur(S) has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.Due to its unique properties,iron oxide has been extensively investigated as a catalyst for SOH_(2)S;however,rapid deactivation has remained a significant drawback.The causes of iron oxide-based catalysts deactivation mechanisms in SOH_(2)S,including sulfur or sulfate deposition,the transformation of iron species,sintering and excessive oxygen vacancy formation,and active site loss,are thoroughly examined in this review.By focusing on the deactivation mechanisms,this review aims to provide valuable insights into enhancing the stability and efficiency of iron-based catalysts for SOH_(2)S.

Leaching behaviors of iron and aluminum elements of ion-absorbed-rare-earth ore with a new impurity depressant

Ion-absorbed rare-earth ore is an important mineral resource which is widely extracted by in-situ leaching process. And such process generates a significant amount of impurities such as aluminum and iron ions in leaching solution simultaneously. The surface characteristics and interactions by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were studied to optimize the leaching conditions. It is found that the environment-friendly depressant LG-01 can react with the impurity ions through the formation of a new complex on the surface of leaching residues. Thus, it reduces significantly the concentration of impurity ions in leaching solution and improves the leaching rate of rare-earth ore. Moreover, a leaching rate of 95.6% and an impurity removal rate of 92% have been achieved under the optimized conditions.

Iron reduction in aluminum by electroslag refining

The effect of electroslag refining on iron reduction from commercial aluminum was investigated.Cast electrodes of commercial aluminum were electroslag refined using KCl-NaCl-Na3AlF6 slag containing Na2B4O7.Experimental results indicate that the iron content decreases with increasing Na2B4O7 addition and remelting time,and the iron content decreases from 0.400% to 0.184% under 9% Na2B4O7 addition for 30 min remelting.The elastic modulus,yield strength and ultimate tensile strength commercial aluminum are improved,and the tensile elongation is increased by 43% after electroslag refining.The chemical reaction between melt and slag to form Fe2B is the main reason for iron reduction and the thermodynamic calculation of the chemical reaction theoretically accounts for the formation of Fe2B.

Oxide film on bubble surface of aluminum foams produced by gas injection foaming process

Based on A356 aluminum alloy,aluminum foams were prepared by gas injection foaming process with pure nitrogen,air and some gas mixtures.The oxygen volume fraction of these gas mixtures varied from 0.2%to 8.0%.Optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and Auger electron spectroscopy（AES） were used to analyze the influence of oxygen content on cell structure,relative density,macro and micro morphology of cell walls,coverage area fraction of oxide film,thickness of oxide film and other aspects.Results indicate that the coverage area fraction of oxide film on bubble surface increases with the increase of oxygen content when the oxygen volume is less than 1.2%.While when the oxygen volume fraction is larger than 1.6%,an oxide film covers the entire bubble surface and aluminum foams with good cell structure can be produced.The thicknesses of oxide films of aluminum foams produced by gas mixtures containing 1.6%-21%oxygen are almost the same.The reasons why the thickness of oxide film nearly does not change with the variation of oxygen content and the amount of oxygen needed to achieve 100%coverage of oxide film are both discussed.In addition,the role of oxide film on bubble surface in foam stability is also analyzed.

Oxidation kinetics of oxide film on bubble surface of aluminum foams produced by gas injection foaming process

In the range of 620？710 °C, air was blown into A356 aluminum alloy melt to produce aluminum foams. In order to study the influence of temperature on the thickness of oxide film on bubble surface, Auger electron spectroscopy （AES） was used. Based on the knowledge of corrosion science and hydrodynamics, two oxidation kinetics models of oxide film on bubble surface were established. The thicknesses of oxide films produced at different temperatures were predicted through those two models. Furthermore, the theoretical values were compared with the experimental values. The results indicate that in the range of 620？710 °C, the theoretical values of the thickness of oxide film predicted by the model including the rising process are higher than the experimental values. While, the theoretical values predicted by the model without the rising process are in good agreement with the experimental values, which shows this model objectively describes the oxidation process of oxide film on bubble surface. This work suggests that the oxidation kinetics of oxide film on bubble surface of aluminum foams produced by gas injection foaming process follows the Arrhenius equation.

Synthesis and characterization of LiFePO_4 coating with aluminum doped zinc oxide

Aluminum doped zinc oxide （AZO）, as an electrically conductive material, was applied to coating on the surface of olivine-type LiFePO4 synthesized by solid-state method. The charge-discharge test results show that the rate performance and low-temperature performance of LiFePO4 are greatly improved by the surface treatment. Even at 20C rate, the discharge specific capacity of 100.9 mA.h/g was obtained by the AZO-coated LiFePO4 at room temperature. At -20 ℃, the discharge specific capacity at 0.2C for un-coated LiFePO4 and the coated one are 50.3 mA.h/g and 119.4 mA.h/g, respectively. It should be attributed to the electrically conductive AZO-coating which increases the electronic conductivity of LiFePO4. Furthermore, the surface-coating increases the tap-density of LiFePO4. The results indicate that the AZO-coated LiFePO4 is a good candidate of cathode material for applying in lithium power batteries.

Preparation of Superparamagnetic Dextran-coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles used as a Novel Gene Carrier into Human Bladder Cancer Cells'

Objective: Application of magnetic nanoparticles as gene carrier in gene therapy has developed quickly. This study was designed to investigate the preparation of superparamagnetic dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (SDION) and the feasibility of SDION used as a novel gene carrier for plasmid DNA in vitro. Methods: SDION were prepared by chemical coprecipitation and separated by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300HR, characterized by TEM, laser scattering system and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer Signal Processor. The green fluorescent protein (pGFP-C2) plasmid DNA was used as target gene. SDION-pGFP-C2 conjugate compounds were produced by means of oxidoreduction reaction. The connection ratio of SDION and pGFP-C2 DNA was analyzed and evaluated by agarose electrophoresis and the concentration of pGFP-C2 in supernatant was measured. Using liposome as control, the transfection efficiency of SDION and liposome was respectively evaluated under fluorescence microscope in vitro. Results: The diameter of SDION ranges from 3 nm to 8 nm, the effective diameter was 59.2 nm and the saturation magnetization was 0.23 emu/g. After SDION were reasonably oxidized, SDION could connect with pGFP-C2 to a high degree. The transfection efficiency of SDION as gene carrier was higher than that of liposome. Conclusion: The successes in connecting SDION with pGFP-C2 plasmid by means of oxidoreduction reaction and in transferring pGFP-C2 gene into human bladder cancer BIU-87 cells in vitro provided the experimental evidence for the feasibility of SDION used as a novel gene carrier.