A simple room temperature synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles for drug storage and pressure pulsed delivery

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) have been synthesized at room temperature under assistance of n-hexane by using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a structure directing agent. Powder X-ray diffraction studies showed that the quantity of n-hexane added into the solution was critical for the ordering of the final mesostructures. The particle size of MSN was between 200 and 400 nm, which is suitable for endocytosis by human cells. The drug loading capability of MSN prepared through this route was measured and the influence of the pulsed pressure drop on drug delivery was studied. This study showed that the delivery rate of ibuprofen in a simulated body fluid solution increased dramatically under the pulsed pressure drop.