Degradable Hollow Organosilica Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Activity

The synthesis of hollow organosilica nanoparticles is described from bis triethoxysilylpropyldisulfide and bis(trimethoxylsilylpropyl)methylamine. The nanoparticles were monodisperse with a mean diameter of 90 nm, and the adsorption–desorption properties of these nanoparticles were investigated with nitrogen at 77 K, n-hexane, and water. The nanoparticles were nonporous at 77 K as shown by N2 sorption analyses. n-Hexane interacted reversibly through physisorption with the nanoparticles, whereas water showed a strong nonreversible interaction, probably because of chemisorption with nitrogen atom sites. Amoxicillin antibiotic was loaded with these nanoparticles and the loading capacity was 30%. Ag+ ions were also adsorbed with amoxicillin, and the multifunctional nanoparticles were efficient in inhibiting bacterial growth with a synergy between the antibiotic delivery and Ag+ release.