Design, synthesis and characterization of silane modified halloysite/poly(maleic anhydride-alt-styrene) copolymer-drug conjugates

In this study, the design, synthesis and characterization of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-styrene) (Poly(MA-alt-St) copolymer and polymer/clay nanocomposites in different ratios were made. Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-styrene)/halloysite nanotube copolymer was synthesized by complex radical copolymerization via charge transfer (CTC) using surface modified halloysite nanotubes together with MA and St monomers. Poly(MA-alt-St) was synthesized by radical copolymerization of electron acceptor (A) and donor (D) monomer systems via charge transfer complex (CTC). To obtain organic functionalized halloysite, the surfaces of pristine halloysite (HNT) nanotubes were modified with 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS). Under the same copolymerization conditions using surface modified halloysite nanotubes; modified halloysite polymer nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ solution complex radical copolymerization of maleic anhydride (MA) and styrene (St) monomers via charge transfer complex (CTC). Additionally, nanocomposite materials, which were verified in terms of structure/property, were chemically conjugated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a cancer therapy agent. Nanocomposite materials in 50:50 ratios and reaction catalysts (TEA) were used for the chemical conjugation process and the nanocomposite: drug (1:1 molar ratios) conjugation was carried out in solution environment. For investigate the structural-property relation of halloysite, modified halloysite, Poly(MA-alt-St), APTS-HNT/Poly(MA-alt-St) systems and APTS-HNT/Poly(MA-alt-St)/5-FU conjugated copolymer system; ATR-FTIR, XRD, XPS, F-NMR spectroscopic methods, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermal analysis (TGA) Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) methods for surface morphology were used. Copolymer and halloysite nanocomposites designed as potential anticancer materials were add 5 FU (5-fluorouracil) which a uracil analogue used in cancer treatment in chemotherapy today and breast cancer cell viability tests and anticancer properties were tested.