Hybrid Polymer-Silica Nanostructured Materials for Environmental Remediation

Polymeric functionalization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles: Biomedical insights

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) endowed with polymer coatings present a versatile platform, offering notable advantages such as targeted, pH-controlled, and stimuli-responsive drug delivery. Surface functionalization, particularly through amine and carboxyl modification, enhances their suitability for polymerization, thereby augmenting their versatility and applicability. This review delves into the diverse therapeutic realms benefiting from polymer-coated MSNs, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), chemotherapy, RNA delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering, food packaging, and neurodegenerative disorder treatment. The multifaceted potential of polymer-coated MSNs underscores their significance as a focal point for future research endeavors and clinical applications. A comprehensive analysis of various polymers and biopolymers, such as polydopamine, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, polycaprolactone, alginate, gelatin, albumin, and others, is conducted to elucidate their advantages, benefits, and utilization across biomedical disciplines. Furthermore, this review extends its scope beyond polymerization and biomedical applications to encompass topics such as surface functionalization, chemical modification of MSNs, recent patents in the MSN domain, and the toxicity associated with MSN polymerization. Additionally, a brief discourse on green polymers is also included in review, highlighting their potential for fostering a sustainable future.

Engineered Mesoporous Silica-Based Nanoparticles: Characterization of Surface Properties

Mesoporous silica-based nanomaterials have emerged as multifunctional platforms with applications spanning catalysis, medicine, and nanotechnology. Since their synthesis in the early 1990s, these materials have attracted considerable interest due to their unique properties, including high surface area, tunable pore size, and customizable surface chemistry. This article explores the surface properties of a series of MSU-type mesoporous silica nanoparticles, elucidating the impact of different functionalization strategies on surface characteristics. Through an extensive characterization utilizing various techniques, such as FTIR, Z-potential, and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, insights into the surface modifications of mesoporous silica nanoparticles are provided, contributing to a deeper understanding of their nanostructure and related interactions, and paving the way to possible unexpected actionability and potential applications.

Multifunctional Dental Adhesives Formulated with Silane-Coated Magnetic Fe3O4@m-SiO2 Core-Shell Particles to Counteract Adhesive Interfacial Breakdown

The process of bonding to dentin is complex and dynamic, greatly impacting the longevity of dental restorations. The tooth/dental material interface is degraded by bacterial acids, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and hydrolysis. As a result, bonded dental restorations face reduced longevity due to adhesive interfacial breakdown, leading to leakage, tooth pain, recurrent caries, and costly restoration replacements. To address this issue, we synthesized and characterized a multifunctional magnetic platform, CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2, to provide several beneficial functions. The platform comprises Fe3O4 microparticles and chlorhexidine (CHX) encapsulated within mesoporous silica, which was silanized by an antibacterial quaternary ammonium silane (SiQuac). This platform simultaneously targets bacterial inhibition, stability of the hybrid layer, and enhanced filler infiltration by magnetic motion. Comprehensive experiments include X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, VSM, EDS, N2 adsorption-desorption (BET), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Then, CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2 was incorporated into an experimental adhesive resin for dental bonding restorations, followed by immediate and long-term antibacterial assessment, cytotoxicity evaluation, and mechanical and bonding performance. The results confirmed the multifunctional nature of CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2. This work outlined a roadmap for (1) designing and tuning an adhesive formulation containing the new platform CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2; (2) assessing microtensile bond strength to dentin using a clinically relevant model of simulated hydrostatic pulpal pressure; and (3) investigating the antibacterial outcome performance of the particles when embedded into the formulated adhesives over time. The results showed that at 4 wt % of CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2-doped adhesive under the guided magnetic field, the bond strength increased by 28%. CHX@SiQuac@Fe3O4@m-SiO2 enhanced dentin adhesion in the magnetic guide bonding process without altering adhesive properties or causing cytotoxicity. This finding presents a promising method for strengthening the tooth/dental material interface's stability and extending the bonded restorations' lifespan.