Synthesis of bridged silsesquioxane-based microspheres as potential drug carriers via ultrasonic irradiation

HERNÁN E. ROMEO; MARÍA A. FANOVICH

Lima, Perú.

Congreso; XI Simposio latinoamericano y IX congreso iberoamericano de polímeros; 2008

Departamento de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.

The sol-gel processing has been shown to be a powerful method for producing bridged silsesquioxane (BS) hybrid materials [1]. The BS family is recognized to have an enormous potential as a building block for various advanced materials, and their applications can be found in areas as catalysis, optics as well as biosciences. Many efforts have been made to synthesize microparticles to be employed as secondary phases in composite materials as well as to be used as carriers for drug release in the biomaterials area [2]. During the past decade the chemical applications of ultrasound have become a new exciting field of research in which the application of ultrasonic irradiation (UI) to the synthesis of biomaterials is under rapid development [3]. In this work, the development of a new synthesis method combining the sol-gel processing and UI to produce bridged silsesquioxane-based microspheres (BSBM) as potential drug carriers is reported.