The Effect of Sonication Time for Synthesis of Magnetic Mesoporous Nanosilica using Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) as Surfactant-Template

Abstract

Targeted drug delivery systems with nanomaterials as drug carriers to specific organs can increase the therapeutic effect and reduce the side effects. Magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles are a multifunctional platform in drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia therapy. In this study, the synthesis was developed with iron sand from Glagah Beach as a source for the magnetic nanoparticles formation and CTAB as a surfactant template. The research method was carried out in three steps, including the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4), coating of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@SiO2), and surfactant-templating (Fe3O4@SiO2@CTAB/SiO2).The SEM analysis results showed that the Fe3O4 particles have various sizes. The weight concentration of Fe in Fe3O4 increased from 70.25% to 78.58% compared to Fe in iron sand by EDX analysis. The XRD results showed that the crystalline size of Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@SiO2 particles are 6.31 nm and 2.37 nm, respectively. From the results of BET analysis, it is known that the longer sonication time, the pore diameter tends to decrease. It may be due to CTAB filling in the pore during the surfactant-templating process. The highest surface area of Fe3O4@SiO2@CTAB/SiO2 particle obtained was 14.31 m2/g with a pore diameter of 3.915 nm which has a mesoporous structure.