Microwave-based fast synthesis of clear-cut hollow spheres with mesoporous wall of silica nanoparticles as excellent drug delivery vehicles

Abstract

Over the past few decades, hollow-structured silica particles have attracted significant interest from material’s scientists due to their unique properties and morphologies related to biomedical applications. This interest has spurred the development of synthetic processes of silica particles and in this paper we report on the microwave-based synthesis of nano-silica hollow spheres (NSHS) with uniform shape and size. This synthetic process produces NSHS in more efficient and swifter manner than previously reported approaches. TEM, SEM, TGA, and BET analysis revealed that the particles produced are hollow, uniform, porous spheres with high water retention capabilities. To explore the drug delivery capability of these spheres, Ibuprofen, as the model drug, was loaded into the NSHS to explore the drug load capacity and the drug release action of these NSHS. The findings of this study signal that the reported microwave-based NSHS has interesting practical relevance as promising drug delivery vehicles.