Synthesis and characterisation of biocompatible organic-inorganic core-shell nanocomposite particles based on ureasils
| Autor: | I Meazzini, Aimee M. Withers, François-Xavier Turquet, Kieran D Richards, Rachel C. Evans, Steve Comby, Judith E. Houston, Róisín M. Owens |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Materials science
Surface Properties Dispersity Biomedical Engineering Nucleation Biocompatible Materials 02 engineering and technology 010402 general chemistry 01 natural sciences Nanocomposites chemistry.chemical_compound Urea General Materials Science Particle Size Nanocomposite Molecular Structure General Chemistry General Medicine 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Fluorescence Controlled release 0104 chemical sciences chemistry Chemical engineering Siloxane Stöber process Pyrene 0210 nano-technology |
| Zdroj: | Journal of materials chemistry. B. 8(22) |
| ISSN: | 2050-7518 |
| Popis: | Organic-inorganic core-shell nanocomposites have attracted increasing attention for applications in imaging, controlled release, biomedical scaffolds and self-healing materials. While tunable properties can readily be achieved through the selection of complementary building blocks, synergistic enhancement requires management of the core-shell interface. In this work, we report a one-pot method to fabricate hybrid core-shell nanocomposite particles (CSNPs) based on ureasils. The native structure of ureasils, which are poly(oxyalkylene)/siloxane hybrids, affords formation of an organic polymer core via nanoprecipitation, while the terminal siloxane groups act as a template for nucleation and growth of the silica shell via the Stöber process. Through optimisation of the reaction conditions, we demonstrate the reproducible synthesis of ureasil CSNPs, with a hydrodynamic diameter of ∼150 nm and polydispersity0.2, which remain electrostatically stabilised in aqueous media for50 days. Selective functionalisation, either through the physical entrapment of polarity-sensitive fluorescent probes (coumarin 153, pyrene) or covalent-grafting to the silica shell (fluorescein isothiocyanate) is also demonstrated and provides insight into the internal environment of the particles. Moreover, preliminary studies using a live/dead cell assay indicate that ureasil CSNPs do not display cytotoxicity. Given the simple fabrication method and the structural tunability and biocompatability of the ureasils, this approach presents an efficient route to multifunctional core-shell nanocomposite particles whose properties may be tailored for a targeted application. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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