Abstract
BackgroundThanks to its specific chemical and physical properties, graphene has aroused growing interest in many fields of Science and Technology. The present study focuses on the properties of microcrystalline chitosan (MCCh): a compound known to increase the biocompatibility of various matrices, including those made of graphene layers, enabling the controlled release of molecules of therapeutic compounds. The study exploits the potential of MCCh to complex with metal ions, in this case Mg2+, and attempts to describe such interactions when the system is enriched with graphene oxide (GO). These findings would open completely new areas of knowledge about GO as a drug carrier.ResultsPotentiometric analysis found that in the GO–Mg system, complexes of ML’ type were formed, where M = Mg2+; L’ = GO (log β11’0 = 9.5 (3)) and ML’2 (log β12’0 = 13.2 (4)), whereas in the GO–Mg2+–MCCh system, a mixed-type complex MLL’ was also formed, in which L = MCCh: this complex demonstrated the overall stability constants log β111’ = 11.2 (3) for degree of deacetylation DD 74.4% and log β111’ = 12.4 (4) for DD 97.7%. FT-IR analysis showed interactions in the GO–Mg2+–MCCh (DD = 97.7%) system. In addition, the amide II—NH band was displaced from 1623 cm−1 to two bands at 1633 cm−1 and 1648 cm−1, resulting from the interaction of the metal ion, and the absorption band of the corresponding NH in the chitosan acetyl group was shifted from 1304 to 1351 cm−1. When chitosan with a deacetylation degree lower than 74.4% was applied, the amide bands I and II differed only in their intensity. A greater impact on absorption was observed for the acetyl NH group of chitosan, for which the corresponding band shifted from 1319 to 1361 cm−1.ConclusionsThe results confirm the ability of GO–Mg2+–MCCh to create complex arrangements. It can form a basic complex of one metal ion and one ligand molecule (GO) in the case of ML’ (where L’ = GO), or two molecules of GO with a metal ion M (Mg2+) in the case of ML’2. A mixed complex of MLL’ type is also formed, with two ligands: L = MCCh with deacetylation degrees DD = 74.4% and 97.7% and graphene oxide L’ = GO. In the latter case, FT-IR spectroscopy was used to confirm the mode of interaction. The GO–Mg2+–MCCh system may be used as carrier in modern magnesium containing medicines or as auxiliary substances in pharmacy.
Highlights
Graphene is characterized by specific chemical and physical properties and has been the subject of a great deal of research regarding its potential applications in Science and Technology
Chitosan films treated with graphene oxide (GO) have already been investigated by Ping Zuo et al [3] using a range of analytical techniques including X-ray analysis, electron spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and gravimetric analysis; the findings indicate that these films are subject to tensile forces which increase significantly in the presence of GO
Complex formation GO with M g2+and GO–Mg–microcrystalline chitosan (MCCh) To determine the properties of graphene oxide (GO) with Mg2+ ions, it was first necessary to identify the protonation constants of the ligand
Summary
The presence of certain functional groups makes GO biocompatible, stable in aqueous solution and compatible with polymers such as chitosan Functional oxygen groups such as hydroxyl (OH), carbonyl (C=O) and carboxyl (COOH) [4] can link to the GO molecule, allowing it to interact with various systems. The study exploits the potential of MCCh to complex with metal ions, in this case Mg2+, and attempts to describe such interactions when the system is enriched with graphene oxide (GO). These findings would open completely new areas of knowledge about GO as a drug carrier
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