Biopolymer-clay nanocomposites for controlled drug delivery

Polymer-clay nanocomposites have attracted great attention worldwide from both academic and industrial points of view. This review aims at reporting on very recent developments in types of polymer-clay nanocomposites, their constituents, synthetic routes, properties and their uses as carriers for drug delivery. This new family of composite materials frequently exhibits remarkable improvements of material properties when compared with the matrix polymers alone or conventional micro- and macrocomposites. Pharmaceutically, interesting improvements include increased mechanical and rheological properties, reduced drug permeability and water uptake and controlled release characteristics. On the basis of these properties, polymer-clay nanocomposites are extending their applicability to the design of new drug release dosage forms with highly specific technological and biopharmaceutical properties, such as swelling, film forming, bioadhesion, and cell uptake. Overall, there is an essential requirement directed towards a more comprehensive understanding of the supramolecular structure, drug loading and release mechanisms of these hybrid materials.