Synthetic Ni3S2/Ni hybrid architectures as potential contrast agents in MRI

Traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents mainly include superparamagnetic (SPM) iron oxide nanoparticle as T-2 contrast agent for liver and paramagnetic Gd (III)-chelate as T-1 contrast agent for all organs. In this work, weak ferromagnetic kale-like and SPM cabbage-like Ni3S2@Ni hybrid architectures were synthesized and evaluated as potential T-1 MRI contrast agents. Their relatively small r(2)/r(1) ratios of 2.59 and 2.38, and high r(1) values of 11.27 and 4.89 mmol(-1) L s(-1) (for the kale-like and cabbage-like Ni3S2@Ni, respectively) will shed some light on the development of new-type MRI contrast agents.