Surface Modification of Mesoporous Nanosilica with [3-(2-Aminoethylamino) propyl] Trimethoxysilane and Its Application in Drug Delivery

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with unique structure (SBA-15) were synthesized and modified by [3-(2-Aminoethylamino) propyl] trimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by TGA, N­2­ adsorption, SEM, FTIR, CHN elemental analysis. The total weight loss for the modified SBA-15 is 15.2% and thermal analysis revealed that 1.5 mmol AEAPTMS/1g SBA-15 had been grafted. The modified particles were used as a drug delivery system. Ibuprofen as common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was used to evaluate the controlled drug release properties of modified SBA-15.The results show that the modification of SBA-15 with organic groups such as [3-(2-Aminoethylamino) propyl] trimethoxysilane and (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) improve the organophilicity of the SBA-15 and the drug loading efficiency. The results of drug delivery experiments reveal that the surface modification of SBA-15 with amino groups significantly decreases the drug delivery rate. The data obtained from the in vitro release studies was used to evaluate the kinetic mechanism of release; the initial 60% release of drug at pH 7.4 fits with the Korsmeyer – Peppas model, when diffusion is the main drug release mechanism.