Pressure controlled drug release in a Zr-cluster-based MOF

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable porous structures for various applications.
• Developing MOFs with high drug loading capacity and controlled release is crucial for drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a robust zirconium-cluster-based MOF, ZJU-800.
• To investigate the drug loading capacity and release kinetics of ZJU-800 using diclofenac sodium.
• To explore the effect of compaction pressure on drug release from the MOF system.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ZJU-800 using a zirconium-cluster precursor.
• Characterization of the MOF structure and properties.
• Drug loading studies with diclofenac sodium.
• Controlled release experiments under varying compaction pressures.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of ZJU-800, a robust zirconium-cluster-based MOF.
• Achieved an excellent drug loading capacity of approximately 58.80 wt% for diclofenac sodium.
• Demonstrated adjustable drug release times ranging from 2 to 8 days.
• Correlated controlled drug release with the degree of compaction between the MOF and the drug.

Conclusions:

• ZJU-800 is a promising material for drug delivery applications due to its high loading capacity.
• Compaction pressure offers a viable method for tuning drug release rates from MOF-based systems.
• This MOF system provides a controllable platform for sustained drug delivery.