Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous magnesium silicate for controlled release drug applications

In the present study, mesoporous magnesium silicate (m-MS) was synthesized via non-ionic surfactant-assisted sol-gel method. The m-MS was produced into an acidic medium and calcined at 550 ºC temperature to remove the organic template (P123). The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability and application of drug loading and controlled release from m-MS. In addition, the effect of drug loading and release on textural properties of m-MS such as surface area, pore diameter and pore volume was investigated. The synthesized compound was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Uv-vis spectrophotometer. The low angle XRD, BET and TEM results showed that magnesium silicate contained 2D hexagonal honeycomb pore channels with uniform and homogeneously distributed mesopores of the same size. The m-MS demonstrated large specific surface area by about 504 m2/g and after adsorption of ibuprofen, the N2 adsorbed volume decreased obviously, and the corresponding BET surface area, pore size and pore volume changed from the 504 m2/g, 4.6 nm, 0.44 cc/g (550 ºC) to 225 m2/g, 1.2 nm, 0.21 cc/g (550 ºC drug loaded) respectively. This study revealed that m-MS has the ability to drug loading and controlled release of ibuprofen and can be used as a novel drug delivery system.