A reliable and easy method is developed to confer protein resistance and drug controlled release dual functions to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by modification with a polydopamine (Pdop) layer and poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA) brushes. The study of protein resistance demonstrates that POEGMA-modified SWNTs exhibit higher protein resistance than pristine SWNTs, and the protein resistance ability is dependant on the length of the POEGMA molecule. Furthermore, the Pdop layer can serve as a pH-responsive switch for controlled loading and release of rhodamine 6G. The integration of protein resistance and pH-responsive controlled release make the double-layer modified SWNTs attractive for drug delivery in cancer therapy.
Keywords: controlled release; pH-responsivity; protein resistance; single-walled carbon nanotubes; surface modification.
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