Sandwich-like mesoporous silica flakes for anticancer drug transport—Synthesis, characterization and kinetics release study

Abstract

In this paper, we present the technology of synthesis, characterization and release kinetics of anticancer drug molecules from sandwich-like mesoporous silica nanoflakes. Mesoporous silica nanoflakes are a very attractive material due to their versatility, low cytotoxicity, large surface area, high pore volume and unique feature of containing parallel pores openon both sides. Nanosilica flakes were prepared through the formation of a mesoporous silica layer on a graphene oxide surface. After graphene oxide removal, the silica nanostructures were filled by an anticancer drug—methotrexate. Release kinetics studies were performed in different temperatures, imitating the conditions in living organisms. Release data was analyzed using the zero-order model, first-order model, Higuchi model and Korsmeyer-Peppas model. The optical properties of samples, and the kinetics of drug release from the nanostructure, were examined by UV–vis spectrophotometer. Data obtained from long term studies showed that the system can serve as an anticancer drug carrier system, since a significant amount of methotrexate was loaded to the material and released. The mechanism of MTX release from mesoporous silica nanoflakes appeared to be a parallel processes of diffusion through water-filled mesopores and degradation of the mSiO2 matrix. Physical and chemical characterization was undertaken by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray dispersion spectroscopy (EDX). The specific surface area of the samples was measured through the adsorption of N2 isotherm, interpreted with the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller model (BET). TGA and UV–vis analyses were conducted in order to estimate the amount of the released drug.