Degradable inorganic/polymer core-shell microspheres for pH-triggered release of indole-3-acetic acid

Abstract

The narrowly dispersed functional silica/poly(di(metacryloylooxy-1-ethoxy) methane-co-acryl amide) (SiO₂/P(DMOEM-co-AAm)) core-shell microspheres were synthesized by distillation precipitation polymerization of DMOEM as a degradable crosslinker and AAm as a functional monomer with the presence of 3-(methacryloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) modified silica microspheres as seeds. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) can be efficiently loaded into the microspheres with a loading capacity of 37.5% via hydrogen-bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid group of IAA and the amide groups on the surface of SiO₂/P(DMOEM-co-AAm). The loaded IAA can be triggered released by pH due to the presence of pH-responsive crosslinker (DMOEM).

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Drug delivery
• distillation-precipitation polymerization
• functional polymer microspheres
• indole-3-acetic acid
• stimuli responsive

Acknowledgement

L.Z. and L.S. contributed equally to this work. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants no. 51603149 and 51703163), the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (18JCZDJC34600, 18JCYBJC18200 and 18JCYBJC86700), the Program for Prominent Young College Teachers of Tianjin Educational Committee and the Scientific Developing Foundation of Tianjin Education Commission (NO: 2017ZD14).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.