Type of presentation: Poster

MS-1-P-1586 Characterisation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles for chemotherapeutic applications

Young N. P.1, Huang X.2, Townley H. E.2
1Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, U.K. , 2Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.
neil.young@materials.ox.ac.uk

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles present a wide range of applications, amongst which is an attractive means of delivery for pharmaceuticals within the body. Utilising the high internal surface area, tunable size and low toxicity of these nanomaterials, drugs may be targeted to sites within the body, yielded improvements over conventional treatment methodologies. In this study we have investigated the suitability of a number of different mesoporous silica nanoparticle structures for carrying a drug cargo [1]. Nanoparticles were characterised in terms of their physical parameters; size, surface area, internal pore size and structure. Additionally these were compared to properties specific to successful application in drug delivery; namely the loading and unloading profiles for a model therapeutic, and also the response of nanoparticles to conditions similar to those found inside the body. This data allows an informed decision to be made on the optimum nanoparticle structures required to maximise cargo capacity and optimise temporal control of the unloading. Controlled capping of the pores was also found to improve on the drug delivery capability.

Figure one shows SEM and TEM images of three of the classes of mesoporous silica nanoparticles investigated in the present study. These were named hexagonal mesoporous silica nanoparticles (a,b), blackberry-like mesoporous silica nanoparticles (c,d), and finally chrysanthemum-like mesoporous silica nanoparticles (e,f) on the basis of their structures. Overall the hexagonal particles were found to be ideally suited to drug delivery following confirmation of the properties described above. High-resolution TEM and tilt-series HAADF-STEM were used to fully characterise the internal pore structure and arrangement within these nanoparticles. Importantly this was found to be ordered with pore channels that were continuous throughout the volume of the nanoparticles, contributing to the high cargo carrying potential and efficient unloading profile.

[1] X. Huang, N.P. Young, H.E. Townley, Nanotechnology and nanomaterials 4 (2014) 1. DOI: 10.5772/58290

Fig. 1: A range of mesoporous silica nanoparticles imaged via SEM and TEM. Hexagonal (a) and (b), blackberry-like (c) and (d) and chrysanthemum-like (e) and (f).