Abstract
This paper introduces the synthesis of well-defined 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate-b-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate diblock copolymer, which has been grafted onto mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PTBAEMA-b-PEGMEMA-MSNs) via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The ATRP initiators were first attached to the MSN surfaces, followed by the ATRP of 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate (PTBAEMA). CuBr2/bipy and ascorbic acid were employed as the catalyst and reducing agent, respectively, to grow a second polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEMA). The surface structures of these fabricated nanomaterials were then analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results of Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) show that ATRP could provide a high surface grafting density for polymers. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) was conducted to investigate the pH-responsive behavior of the diblock copolymer chains on the nanoparticle surface. In addition, multifunctional pH-sensitive PTBAEMA-b-PEGMEMA-MSNs were loaded with doxycycline (Doxy) to study their capacities and long-circulation time.
Highlights
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been studied extensively and applied in various areas, such as colloid chemistry, catalysis, photonics, biosensing, and drug delivery
MSNs were synthesized by allowing TEOS to react with a template made of micellar rods (CTAB)
poly(2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PTBAEMA)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEMA) copolymer brushes on MSNs were prepared according to Scheme 1
Summary
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been studied extensively and applied in various areas, such as colloid chemistry, catalysis, photonics, biosensing, and drug delivery. MSNs are usually modified on the surface with organic materials, especially polymers, to form silica polymer core/shell nanohybrids [4,5,6,7,8]. Polymer-grafted MSNs combine the advantages of MSNs and organic film to increase the potential applications of these nanomaterials, especially in controlled drug delivery [9,10,11,12,13]. Controlling the release of a drug from a nanocarrier faces unique challenges, which normally depend on the nanoparticle’s characteristics. In order to design a nanosystem with the drug-release kinetics desired for the target applications, it is important to understand the Molecules 2020, 25, 195; doi:10.3390/molecules25010195 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
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