Effect of condensing tetraethoxysilane on desorption of organic compound from porous polymer

The present article reports the easy to use approach on the application of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) for the enhancement of drug release from mesoporous acrylic resin, in which a water insoluble drug is embedded. The investigated system combines the swelling of polymer with gelation of silica precursor within the polymer matrix. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory naproxen was used as a model drug and Amberlite XAD7HP was used as a drug carrier. Tetraethoxysilane was introduced into the loaded polymer up to the total pore filling. The transformation of tetraethoxysilane in aqueous solution at different pH produces condensed silica and ethanol which is a good solvent of naproxen. Appearance of ethanol in the sample facilitates naproxen release into an external solution at differentiated pH. The rate of release strongly depends on the pH of release solution due to differences in the hydrolysis and gelation rates of tetraethoxysilane. The addition of tetraethoxysilane to the polymer-naproxen composite appears beneficial for drug transport into the external media.