I have a Core-shell nanoparticle and I am trying to create an empty space between the core and shell by etching out the intermediate layer. I want to know if it is possible to load a drug into that space. My nanoparticle has a metal core and polymer shell. I believe the drug can pass through the polymer network and reach the space. Does this sound feasible?
It is theoretically possible to load a drug into the space between the polymer shell and the metal core if the drug you are putting in can pass through the openings on the shell and if the drug is soluble in the interior of the polymer shell. You need to expose the drug to the core-shell at various conditions and carry out a seris of tests to detect the injected drug.
Have a look to this paper, in some extend it did what you looking for. might help you.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.201303222/abstract
If core is gold....drug with amine or sh groups will stick to it....I assume polymer is not a poly electrolyte ..
Thanks for the inputs.. My core is gold which has been PEGylated and the shell is not poly electrolyte..its just a thermosensitive polymer.. And I am thinking of using Dox with a fluorescent tag. This way I can find out if the drug is actually sitting in that empty space or staying in the polymer network? OR is there any other dye that remains inactive when contained inside the carrier and fluoresce only when it comes out of the carrier or shell? Any suggestions to find out if the drug is really stored in that empty space?
I have not loaded a tagged DOX on an nanoparticle (NP) but I suggest you use a flourescence microscope to detect the nanoparticles. Tthis will need high magnification depending on how big your NP is;Olympus optical microscope may be able to do this and show flourescence in the interior of each particle.
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