Silicon Nanotubes (Si NTS) are a form of nanostructured silicon with properties useful to its evaluation as a biomaterial, including tunable inner and outer diameter, diverse surface functionalization opportunities, along with novel porous sidewall morphologies capable of nanoscale infiltration, release, and dissolution. Any practical applications require the development of practical routes to loading their tubular interior as well as functionalization of the outer surface. In this presentation, we demonstrate examples of each by (1) the incorporation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles  (Fe3O4 NPs) into Si NTs possessing different wall thicknesses as well as (2) attachment of fluorescent probe molecules fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC, green) and Alexa Fluor 594 NHS ester (red). The loading of Fe3O4 NPs into these nanotubes provides possible evaluation for its use in magnetic-assisted drug delivery; nanotube surface functionalization opens new opportunities for concomitant fluorescent imaging and/or attachment of probes for cellular recognition specificity. In addition to structural characterization by electron microscopies (SEM, TEM), relaxivitry measurements are reported for the Fe3O4 NP-loaded Si NTs as well as confocal fluorescent imaging for the surface-modified structures.

Porous silicon nanotubes: Fundamental properties of relevance to therapeutic applications

248th National Meeting (2014)

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