Synthesis of pH-responsive mesoporous silica nanotubes for controlled release

A novel mesoporous silica tubes (MMT) which possessed pH-sensitive controlled release ability had been fabricated and synthesized by using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as template. The sample replicated the morphologies of the CNTs successfully. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of the materials can reach 1,017 m² g^?1 with the pore size of 3.8 nm. As a model drug, metformin HCl was applied to study the drug loading and control release ability of the materials. MMT possesses higher drug loading ratio (36 %) than that of MCM-41 (27.5 %). The release kinetics were studied in simulated gastric fluid (pH = 1.2) and in simulated proximal intestine fluid (pH = 7. 4), respectively. The result shows that the delivery systems exhibit well pH-sensitive control release ability and the as-synthesized materials have potential application in biomedical field.     

Modification of polysulfone hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes using hyperbranched polyesters with different molecular weights

A series of hyperbranched polyesters (HBPEs) using trimethylolpropane (TMP) as a core were synthesized via an esterification reaction, and the molecular weights of these HBPEs were 1600, 2260, 3370, and 5170 g/mol, respectively. Then, these HBPEs were added into dope solutions to prepare PSf hollow fiber membranes via a wet‐spinning method. When the HBPE molecule weight increased from 1600 to 5170 g/mol, the initial viscosities of the PSf–HBPE–PEG400–DMAc dope solutions increased, and the shear‐thinning phenomenon of these dope solutions became increasingly obvious. When these dope solutions were immersed into the deionized water, the demixing rate increased with an increase in the HBPE molecule weight at first and then decreased; this results in the increase of membrane porosity and the coexistence of finger‐like and sponge‐like structures. With the addition of HBPE, the start pure water contact angle and the mean effective pore size of the membranes decreased, and the J_w increased. For the mechanical properties of the membranes, the breaking strength and the elongation of the membranes also increased. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

肿瘤靶向pH响应药物递送-成像体系的合成与控制释放研究

对聚烯丙基胺修饰合成了一种苯硼酸靶向的聚合物配体:聚烯丙基胺/马来酸酐-聚乙二醇-硫辛酸-苯硼酸(PAH/SA-PEG-LA-PBA),共轭作用在ZnO、CdTe/CdS量子点表面,连接抗癌药物阿霉素后形成苯硼酸靶向-示踪诊疗一体体系:ZnO、CdTe/CdS@(PAH/SA-PEG-LA-PBA)-DOX(量子点的荧光可示踪/显像药物递送过程),核磁共振(~1H-NMR)测试表明成功合成了(PAH/SA-PEG-LA-PBA)聚合物,透射电镜(TEM)测得该体系呈规整球形且分布均匀,平均粒径约30 nm;紫外-可见光谱(UV-Vis)和荧光谱图显示该体系具有ZnO、CdTe/CdS量子点的吸收峰,还出现了较强的荧光发射峰,由此说明了苯硼酸靶向的诊疗示踪一体体系的成功制得,负载阿霉素的纳米粒子的载药量为80%.体外释放研究表明,pH 5.0时药物释放速度比pH 7.4时快,48 h后累计释放率达87.1%.因此,该pH响应性纳米颗粒作为抗癌药物载体具有潜在的应用价值.     

A novel pH-responsive controlled release system based on mesoporous silica coated with hydroxyapatite

With well bioactive and nontoxic, hydroxyapatite (HAp) was employed to seal the nanopores of mesoporous silica (MCM-41) to realize the pH-responsive controlled release. First, MCM-41 was modified with cationic polymer, poly-(diallyldimethylammoniumchloride) (PA). And after the addition of Ca²⁺/PO₄ ^3?, HAp precipitation can take place based on the cationic sites derived from PA. It is a simple and effective way to obtain HAp coating MCM-41 system (MHAs). The structure of the system was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, N₂ adsorption–desorption and so on. Metformin hydrochloride was used as the model drug, and the drug release performance and the release kinetics of the system were investigated in detail. Because of the degradation of HAp under acid condition, the drug loading MHAs showed a well pH-sensitive controlled release behavior. From above investigation, MHAs is a promising platform to construct a pH-responsive controlled drug delivery system, especially for some low pH tissues, such as inflammatory and tumor.     

Silica xerogels as a delivery system for the controlled release of different molecular weight heparins

In this work, we investigated a sol–gel derived silica matrix as a delivery system for the prolonged release of different molecular weight heparins, which allows the glycosaminoglicons to retain their whole biological activity. Several xerogels were obtained by embedding different molecular weight heparins into matrices prepared by using different amount of NH₄OH as a catalyst during gel formation. Gel synthesis parameters, drug release properties, and xerogels surface area were evaluated. Unfractionated, low and oligo-molecular weight heparins were embedded into xerogels and the effect of the molecular weight on the release kinetics and the retained biological activity has been investigated. The results show that the surface area of the matrix is a determinant parameter affecting drug release kinetics. This structural feature can be modified by varying the catalyst tetraethoxysilane molar ratio used during the matrix synthesis. In most cases release kinetics fitted the Higuchi diffusive model and a lower diffusion rate was observed from silica matrices characterized by a smaller surface area. In the case of matrices with lower surface area, loaded with unfractionated heparin, zero order kinetics was observed. In this paper, we have defined a heparin release silica xerogel system and we have pointed out how modulation of its synthesis parameters allows adjusting the release of heparin according to therapeutic needs.     

不同分子质量木质素磺酸钠对煤粉的分散作用研究

应用超滤分级方法,将木质素磺酸钠分成不同分子量范围的级分。傅立叶红外光谱（FTIR）分析结果表明,分子量为5 000～10 000的木质素磺酸钠分子中亲水基团如羟基、酚羟基、磺酸根质量分数最大,随着分子量的增加,亲水基团质量分数降低。实验结果发现分子量为10 000～50 000的木质素磺酸钠级分在煤粒表面的吸附等温线近似为L型,吸附量较大,并且使煤粒的表面动电电位（ζ电位）达到-52 mV,在各个级分中对盘江煤具有最好的分散降黏作用。进一步得出结论,分散剂的分散降黏作用与其在煤粒表面的吸附量和ζ电位的高低密切相关。     

Modification of liposome surface with pH-responsive polyampholytes for the controlled-release of drugs

Ampholytic polymers comprised of 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) and acrylic acid (AA) in varying molar ratios were used to modify egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) liposomes previously encapsulated with pyranine. The modified EYPC liposomes were found to be pH responsive. The critical pH values at which the pyranine release from these liposomes at 37 °C were observed to decrease with increasing DEAEMA content in the polymers. Explanations were given for these phenomena.     

pH-responsive lyotropic liquid crystals for controlled drug delivery

We present a food-grade lyotropic liquid crystal system, capable of responding to pH variations with a reversible switch in both the structure and physical properties. The system, which is composed by monolinolein and linoleic acid (97:3 wt % ratio) in the presence of excess water at 37 °C and 150 mM ionic strength, is specifically designed to reversibly change from a Im3m reverse bicontinuous cubic phase to a H(II) reverse columnar hexagonal phase, when changing the pH from neutral (pH 7) to acidic (pH 2) conditions, to simulate intestine and stomach conditions, respectively. The pH responsiveness is provided by the linoleic acid, which, being a weak acid (pK(a) ≈ 5), is essentially in the deprotonated charged state at pH 7 and mainly protonated and neutral at pH 2, imposing changes in the critical packing parameter (CPP) of the lyotropic liquid crystal. The use of this system as an efficient controlled-release delivery vehicle is demonstrated on the model hydrophilic drug phloroglucinol, by both release and diffusion studies at different pH, as followed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. The Im3m cubic phase at pH 7 is shown to release 4 times faster than the H(II) phase at pH 2, making this system an ideal candidate for oral administration of drugs for targeted delivery in intestine or colon tracts.     

Weak flocculation of aqueous kaolin suspensions initiating by NaCMC with different molecular weights

The present work is an investigation of the effect of NaCMC with different viscosities (molecular weights) on the stability of aqueous kaolin suspensions at pH 5-6. The stabilizing effect of polymers was characterized by measuring the sedimentation volumes (for 2.5% kaolin suspensions) and some important rheological parameters (for 40% and 50% kaolin suspensions). In certain cases the stability of suspensions was also studied in the presence of 0.5-1.0% NaCl. The additives were incorporated into the suspensions separately and simultaneously, as well. In certain cases the effect of mixing order of NaCMCs was also studied. The lower viscosity NaCMC was found to be a better stabilizing agent than its medium viscosity counterpart at the studied polymer concentrations (0.005-1.0%). This was manifested in smaller sedimentation volumes and lower rheological parameters (viscosity, yield stress, degree of thixotropy and elasticity). The lower and the medium viscosity polymer were simultaneously and consecutively added in a mass ratio of 50:1 and 10:1. The resulted observation of low viscosity and yield stress, and more importantly thixotropy and elasticity, can be interpreted in terms of a “site-blocking” type flocculation.     

Proton transport properties of poly(aspartic acid) with different average molecular weights

We synthesized seven partially protonated poly(aspartic acids)/sodium polyaspartates (P-Asp) with different average molecular weights to study their proton transport properties. The number-average degree of polymerization (DP) for each P-Asp was 30 (P-Asp30), 115 (P-Asp115), 140 (P-Asp140), 160 (P-Asp160), 185 (P-Asp185), 205 (P-Asp205), and 250 (P-Asp250). The proton conductivity depended on the number-average DP. The maximum and minimum proton conductivities under a relative humidity of 70% and 298 K were 1.7 · 10^?3 S cm^?1 (P-Asp140) and 4.6 · 10^?4 S cm^?1 (P-Asp250), respectively. Differential thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA) was carried out for each P-Asp. The results were classified into two categories. One exhibited two endothermic peaks between t = (270 and 300) °C, the other exhibited only one peak. The P-Asp group with two endothermic peaks exhibited high proton conductivity. The high proton conductivity is related to the stability of the polymer. The number-average molecular weight also contributed to the stability of the polymer.     

Fracture toughening of epoxy matrices with blends of resins of different molecular weights and other modifiers

The microstructure and fracture behavior of epoxy mixtures containing two monomers of different molecular weights were studied. The variation of the fracture toughness by the addition of other modifiers was also investigated. Several amounts of high‐molecular‐weight diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) oligomer were added to a nearly pure DGEBA monomer. The mixtures were cured with an aromatic amine, showing phase separation after curing. The curing behavior of the epoxy mixtures was investigated with thermal measurements. A significant enhancement of the fracture toughness was accompanied by slight increases in both the rigidity and strength of the mixtures that corresponded to the content of the high‐molecular‐weight epoxy resin. Dynamic mechanical and atomic force microscopy measurements indicated that the generated two‐phase morphology was a function of the content of the epoxy resin added. The influence of the addition of an oligomer or a thermoplastic on the morphologies and mechanical properties of both epoxy‐containing mixtures was also investigated. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3920–3933, 2004     

Exponentially growing layer-by-layer assembly to fabricate pH-responsive hierarchical nanoporous polymeric film and its superior controlled release performance

A hierarchical nanoporous polymer film was fabricated through exponentially growing layer-by-layer assembly of weak polyelectrolytes without any template and post-treatment to greatly enhance loading capacity, release time and linear release range with pH-dependence for small molecules over the reported weak polyelectrolyte films, providing great potentials in controlled drug release applications.     

Preparation of albumin—PAA nanocapsules and their controlled release behavior for drugs

New kinds of narrowly distributed protein‐based nanoparticles, bovine serum albumin‐Poly (acrylic acid) (BSA/PAA) nanospheres, and nanocapsules were prepared via in situ polymerization, swelling, and re‐aggregation. The structure and morphology of the nanospheres were characterized by UV‐Vis, FT‐IR, DLS, and TEM. The stability of the BSA/PAA nanospheres and nanocapsules was increased when their skeletons were fixed by cross‐linked agents. The nanospheres carried a positive charge and their size was about 80–110 nm. The protein‐based nanocapsules were stimuli‐responsive with pH value and their hydrodynamic diameter varied from 70 to 230 nm with changes of pH. In vitro release experiments of Rhodamine B and Doxorubicin hydrochloride showed that these biopolymer nanoparticles provided a controlled release of the entrapped drugs for 300 hr. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bioresponsive controlled release using mesoporous silica nanoparticles capped with aptamer-based molecular gate

This communication describes the design of a novel and general bioresponsive controlled-release mesoporous silica (MS) nanoparticles system based on aptamer-target interactions. In this system, the pores of MS were capped with Au nanoparticles modified with aptamer (ATP aptamer in this case). By a competitive displacement reaction, the Au nanoparticles were uncapped in the presence of ATP molecule, and the cargo was released. Our results demonstrated that the aptamer-target interaction may be a promising route for the design of custom-made controlled-release nanodevices specifically governed by target biomolecules. Since aptamers have been obtained for a broad range of targets, including several cancer biomarkers, we believe that this aptamer-based controlled-release system should have an equally broad spectrum of applications.     

Mass diffusion of camphorquinone in poly(methyl methacrylate) hosts with different molecular weights

Diffusion coefficients of camphorquinone (CQ) and its photoproduct (CQP) in two poly(methyl metbacrylate) (PMMA) samples with different molecular weights are measured as a function of temperature. Above the glass transition, the temperature dependence is not Arrhenius and can be described by the Williams-Landel-Ferry equation. It is also shown that the difference in the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients of CQ in the two PMMA samples is attributable to the difference in glass transition temperatures.     

Mixing efficiency for polymer blends of very different molecular weights by using a mixing nozzle

A way to mix polymer blends of very high and low molecular weights by using a mixing nozzle is presented. An array of blend nozzles with a conical inlet attached to a single screw extruder was used to blend polyethylene homopolymers with very different molecular weights. Using extruders with 30 and 50 mm barrel diameters, the effects of nozzle dimensions and operation conditions with respect to the homogeneity were studied. The device proved useful in obtaining a good macroscopic and molecular homogeneity up to 30 kg/hr by the 50 mm extruder, though care must be taken to avoid the degradation of polymers by heat and shear, especially in the extruder. The key factor ruling the efficiency of blending was found to be the compression ratio, i.e. the ratio of the cross sectional areas of the entrance of the nozzle and that of the orifice, and the shear rate at the orifice. For the nozzle with geometrically similar figure, the critical shear rate at which the homogeneity began to worsen was the same. Scale-up of the nozzle could be accomplished by enlarging the diameter of the diameter of the orifice, yet maintaining a geometrically similar figure. The maximum output of the nozzle is proportional to the third power of the orifice diameter.     

Mixing device for polymer blends of very different molecular weights using a mixing nozzle process

A new method of blending two polymers with very different molecular weights, i.e. different melt viscosities, in which the polymer mixture is forced to pass through a nozzle with a conical taper is proposed in this study. High density polyethylenes with very high and very low molecular weights were used as the samples in the blending process, and the parameters that affected the homogeneity of the blended polymers were studied. The homogeneity was found to be better at a lower shear rate, smaller orifice diameter, higher compression ratio of the cross-sectional area of the nozzle entrance and orifice, and a small length-to-diameter ratio of the orifice. This blending process, the nozzle blend, was found to make the droplets of a high molecular weight component extend to thin fibers along the conical section of the nozzle. The nozzle blend system has been proved to be useful in obtaining both macroscopic and microscopic homogeneity, and has been estimated to be comparable to a few minutes of roll-mill blending.