Electroplated porous polypyrrole nanostructures patterned by colloidal lithography for drug-delivery applications

Nanoscale. 2012 May 21;4(10):3083-8. doi: 10.1039/c2nr30192j. Epub 2012 Mar 15.

Abstract

Porous nanostructures of polypyrrole (Ppy) were fabricated using colloidal lithography and electrochemical techniques for potential applications in drug delivery. A sequential fabrication method was developed and optimized to maximize the coverage of the Ppy nanostructures and to obtain a homogeneous layer over the substrate. This was realized by masking with electrophoretically-assembled polystyrene (PS) nanospheres and then electroplating. Drug/biomolecule adsorption and the release characteristics for the porous nanostructures of Ppy were investigated using rhodamine B (Rh-B). Rh-B is an easily detectable small hydrophobic molecule that is used as a model for many drugs or biological substances. The porous Ppy nanostructures with an enhanced surface area exhibited higher Rh-B loading capacity than bulk planar films of Ppy. Moreover, tunability of surface morphology for further applications (e.g., sensing, cell adhesion) was demonstrated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Colloids / chemistry*
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry
  • Porosity
  • Pyrroles / chemistry*
  • Rhodamines / chemistry

Substances

  • Colloids
  • Drug Carriers
  • Polymers
  • Polystyrenes
  • Pyrroles
  • Rhodamines
  • polypyrrole
  • rhodamine B