preparation and physicochemical characterization of

PREPARATION AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF
BORON NITRIDE NANOTUBES FUNCTIONALIZED WITH GLYCOCHITOSANE AS NEW POTENTIAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM
SOARES, D. C. F. 1; FERREIRA T. H.1; AZEVEDO, R. C. S.1; RAMALDES, G. A.2 AND
SOUSA, E. M. B.1.
1- Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear - Laboratório de Materiais Nanoestruturados para
Bioaplicações. Av. Antonio Carlos 6.627, Pampulha - 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
2- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - Faculdade de Farmácia. Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos,
6627 – Pampulha – 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Keywords: BNNTS, Glycol-chitosan Functionalization, Nanostructured Drug Delivery System
1. Introduction
the Zeta potential showed values ranging -12.4
Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), a structural
± 3.4 mV, indicating a relative stability of the
analog of carbon nanotubes, have been proposed
system (Figure 2).
as alternative nanostructured material, to be
applied
in
different
knowledge
areas.
Biomedical applications of this material still
remain largely unexplored, mainly due its low
solubility in aqueous solutions. Seeking to
overcome this problem, in the present work, we
prepared
and
functionalized
characterized
(noncovalent
BNNTs
wrapped)
with
glycol-chitosan, a biocompatible and stable
Figure 1. Size distribution of BNNTS
Functionalized with glycol-chitosan polymer.
polymer.
2. Methods
Zeta Potential Distribution
BNNTs were produced from elemental boron
catalyst. The powder mixture was heated at
1300ºC in a nitrogen gas flow and also in
ammonia gas which was introduced at higher
200000
Total Counts
powder, ammonium nitrate and hematite as
250000
150000
100000
50000
0
-200
-100
0
100
Zeta Potential (mV)
temperature for 2 h. The functionalization was
conducted in ethanol where the BNTTs and
Figure 2. Zeta Potential distribution of BNNTS
Functionalized with glycol-chitosan polymer.
glycol-chitosan dispersion was stirred to a
temperature of 70 °C for 24 h under reflux.
4. Conclusion
3. Results
The results showed that BNNTs functionalized
the
with glycol-chitosan reach suitable mean size,
BNNTS were obtained and mean size and
polydispersity index and Zeta potential to be
polydispersity index were determined. Particle
applied in future mices biodistribution studies.
size analysis showed that the size of nanotubes
Acknowledgments: Special thanks to CAPES,
was 290.7 ± 15.4 nm (Figure 1). The
FAPEMIG, and CNPq for their financial
Polydispersity index was determined in 0.2 and
support.
Following
the
described
procedures,
200