Self-Assembly of Hollow Graphene Oxide Microcapsules Directed by Cavitation for Loading Hydrophobic Drugs

Hollow graphene oxide microcapsules (GOMs) have been widely used in energy, electronics, catalysis, sensing, tissue engineering, and drug loading due to their unique properties. However, it is still a great challenge to prepare GOMs with high quality and in large quantity using a simple method. In this work, we obtained single-component GOMs using the liquid nitrogen cavitation effect, which directed the self-assembly of graphene oxide (GO) debris at the gas-liquid interface. This method avoids the introduction of additional components and removal of templates. The morphology of GOM with wrinkles on its surface was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The abundant polar groups of GO microcapsules enabled them to easily disperse in water. Based on this, GOMs have good potential for loading hydrophobic drugs. Subsequently, we used GOMs as carriers to deliver a hydrophobic drug paclitaxel (PTX), which exhibited a good loading capacity. Moreover, PTX loaded GOMs showed excellent cytotoxicity to A549 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The GOMs also showed a pH-dependent drug release performance. Therefore, GOMs can be regarded as potential carriers for biomedical applications.

Automated summary

Hollow graphene oxide microcapsules prepared using liquid nitrogen cavitation effects showed potential as drug carriers due to their unique properties and good drug loading capacity, exhibiting excellent cytotoxicity to cancer cells and pH-dependent drug release performance.