Mussel-inspired grafting pH-responsive brushes onto halloysite nanotubes for controlled release of doxorubicin

The development of stimuli-responsive drug nanocarriers is an increasingly important area in nanomedicine because efficient delivery toxic drugs to targeted tissues minimizes side effects. specific objective this study was synthesize and characterize a novel pH-responsive carrier based on halloysite nanotubes for the controlled release anticancer doxorubicin. Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) brushes were grafted from surface using combination mussel-inspired polydopamine modification activators regenerated by electron transfer atom radical polymerization. chemical structure morphology modified investigated Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron thermal gravimetric analysis as well scanning transmission microscopies. Dynamic light scattering zeta potential carried out evaluate pH-responsivity functionalized nanotubes. results loading pristine showed that grafting poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl polydopamine-modified leads drastic increase doxorubicin capacity highly pH-sensitive behaviour. Less than 10 % loaded released poly (N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-grafted at pH 7.4 after 24 h; contrast, 5.5 there continuous totalling 13 first 30 min, i.e. lower (32 %), but reaching 48 h. Poly can hence be considered candidate delivering molecules acidic target sites.