Synthesis of silica hollow core shell nanoparticles by sacrificial nitrated polystyrene template approach for targeted drug delivery application

Abstract

Silica hollow core shell nanoparticles (SHCNs) were synthesized by employing nitrated polystyrene as sacrificial template. Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles were functionalized with nitro functional group to modify the surface properties and to enhance the pore size of SHCNs. Calcination of silica coated nitrated PS nanoparticles lead to the formation of SHCNs and no traces of the polymer particles were found inside SHCNs as analyzed in fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images were used to analyze the shell thickness of silica which was tuned between 15 and 35 nm. Specific surface area and average pore sizes of SHCNs were found to vary from 533.6 to 130.5 m2/g and 2.6 to 3.7 nm respectively. SHCNs were loaded with doxorubicin to evaluate the potential release kinetics by varying the silica shell thickness and pH of the release medium. SHCNs showed sustained release for 250 min at a pH of 7.4. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Advances in Materials Research - 2019.