Mesoporous magnesium carbonate : Synthesis, characterization and biocompatibility

Mesoporous materials constitute a promising class of nanomaterials for a number of applications due to their tunable pore structure. The synthesis of most mesoporous materials involves a surfactant liquid crystal structure to form the pores. As well as the many advantages associated with this method of synthesis, there are disadvantages such as high production costs and a substantial environmental impact which limit the possibilities for large scale production. Therefore there is a need for other synthesis routes. The aim of the work described herein was to contribute to this field by developing a synthesis route that does not rely on surfactants for pore formation. A mesoporous magnesium carbonate material was therefore formed by self-assemblage of the particles around carbon dioxide gas bubbles, which functioned as pore templates. It was also possible to vary the pore diameter between 3 and 20 nm. The biocompatibility of the formed magnesium carbonate material was evaluated in terms of in vitro cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility, in vivo skin irritation and acute systemic toxicity. The results from the in vitro cytotoxicity, in vivo skin irritation and acute systemic toxicity test using a polar extraction vehicle showed that the material was non-toxic. While signs of toxicity were observed in the acute systemic toxicity test using a non-polar solvent, this was attributed to injection of particles rather than toxic leachables. In the in vitro hemocompatibility test, no hemolytic activity was found with material concentrations of up to 1 mg/ml. It was further shown that the material had anticoagulant properties and induced moderate activation of the complement system. The anticoagulant properties were ascribed to uptake of Ca2+. Finally, the ability of the material to increase the dissolution rate of the poorly soluble drug itraconazole was analyzed.  Itraconazole was dissolved up to 23 times faster from the magnesium carbonate pores than when the free drug was used. The release rate from the delivery vehicle was dependent on the pore diameter. The work presented herein is expected to be useful for the development of alternative synthesis routes for mesoporous materials and also for encouraging the development of biomedical applications for these materials

Mesoporous magnesium carbonate : Synthesis, characterization and biocompatibility

Mesoporous materials constitute a promising class of nanomaterials for a number of applications due to their tunable pore structure. The synthesis of most mesoporous materials involves a surfactant liquid crystal structure to form the pores. As well as the many advantages associated with this method of synthesis, there are disadvantages such as high production costs and a substantial environmental impact which limit the possibilities for large scale production. Therefore there is a need for other synthesis routes. The aim of the work described herein was to contribute to this field by developing a synthesis route that does not rely on surfactants for pore formation. A mesoporous magnesium carbonate material was therefore formed by self-assemblage of the particles around carbon dioxide gas bubbles, which functioned as pore templates. It was also possible to vary the pore diameter between 3 and 20 nm. The biocompatibility of the formed magnesium carbonate material was evaluated in terms of in vitro cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility, in vivo skin irritation and acute systemic toxicity. The results from the in vitro cytotoxicity, in vivo skin irritation and acute systemic toxicity test using a polar extraction vehicle showed that the material was non-toxic. While signs of toxicity were observed in the acute systemic toxicity test using a non-polar solvent, this was attributed to injection of particles rather than toxic leachables. In the in vitro hemocompatibility test, no hemolytic activity was found with material concentrations of up to 1 mg/ml. It was further shown that the material had anticoagulant properties and induced moderate activation of the complement system. The anticoagulant properties were ascribed to uptake of Ca2+. Finally, the ability of the material to increase the dissolution rate of the poorly soluble drug itraconazole was analyzed.  Itraconazole was dissolved up to 23 times faster from the magnesium carbonate pores than when the free drug was used. The release rate from the delivery vehicle was dependent on the pore diameter. The work presented herein is expected to be useful for the development of alternative synthesis routes for mesoporous materials and also for encouraging the development of biomedical applications for these materials

On the pore forming mechanism of Upsalite, a micro- and mesoporous magnesium carbonate

This work analyzes the pore forming mechanism and stability of Upsalite; an extraordinary moisture absorbing, high-surface area magnesium carbonate powder synthesised without the use of surfactants as pore forming agents. The pores in Upsalite were found to be created in a two-step process where the first step includes the formation of micropores by solvent evaporation and release of physically bound carbon dioxide, acting as an in-situ pore-forming template. In the second step, the micropores expand to mesopores due to partial decomposition of organic groups on the surface of the pore walls when the material is stored in air at moderate temperatures (70 °C). The resulting material has a narrow pore size distribution centered at 5 nm, and the amorphous structure is stable upon storage in a humid atmosphere. It was further shown that calcination at temperatures above 250 °C is required for complete removal of the organic surface groups in Upsalite. Prior to calcination, the organic groups present in the material act as barriers hindering water to induce crystallization of the bulk material. After calcination, however, Upsalite crystallizes into nesquehonite when stored at 100 % relative humidity for several days. The results presented herein are expected to be useful for the development of novel surfactant-free synthesis routes of porous materials as well as for the understanding of the long-term performance of such materials

Investigation of the Antibacterial Effect of Mesoporous Magnesium Carbonate

Mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) was first presented in 2013, and this material is currently under consideration for use in a number of biotechnological applications including topical formulations. This study presents the first evaluation of the antibacterial properties of the material with mesoporous silica and two other magnesium-containing powder materials used as references. All powder materials in this study are sieved to achieve a particle size distribution between 25 and 75 μm. The Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis is used as the model bacterium due to its prevalence on human skin, its likelihood of developing resistance to antibiotics, for example, from routine exposure to antibiotics secreted in sweat, and because it is found inside affected acne vulgaris pores. Quantification of bacterial viability using a metabolic activity assay with resazurin as the fluorescent indicator shows that MMC exerts a strong antibacterial effect on the bacteria and that alkalinity accounts for the major part of this effect. The results open up for further development of MMC in on-skin applications where bacterial growth inhibition without using antibiotics is deemed favorable

A Template-Free, Ultra-Adsorbing, High Surface Area Carbonate Nanostructure

We report the template-free, low-temperature synthesis of a stable, amorphous, and anhydrous magnesium carbonate nanostructure with pore sizes below 6 nm and a specific surface area of ~ 800 m2 g−1, substantially surpassing the surface area of all previously described alkali earth metal carbonates. The moisture sorption of the novel nanostructure is featured by a unique set of properties including an adsorption capacity ~50% larger than that of the hygroscopic zeolite-Y at low relative humidities and with the ability to retain more than 75% of the adsorbed water when the humidity is decreased from 95% to 5% at room temperature. These properties can be regenerated by heat treatment at temperatures below 100°C.The structure is foreseen to become useful in applications such as humidity control, as industrial adsorbents and filters, in drug delivery and catalysis.De två (2) första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.</p

Study of mesoporous magnesium carbonate in contact with whole human blood

The novel mesoporous magnesium carbonate Upsalite showed anticoagulant properties when incubated with whole blood, an effect most probably due to Ca2+uptake.</p

Structural and chemical characteristics of Upsalite obtained from N₂ and H₂O vapour sorption isotherms.

<p>Structural and chemical characteristics of Upsalite obtained from N₂ and H₂O vapour sorption isotherms.</p

Characterisation of as-synthesised Upsalite and schematic description of the synthesis steps.

<p><b>a)</b> XRD pattern. The halo at 2 θ∼30° indicates the presence of at least one amorphous phase and the sharp peaks at higher scattering angles pertain to crystalline MgO. <b>b)</b> Raman spectrum. The band observed at ∼1100 cm⁻¹ stems from vibration of the CO₃ group and the halo cantered at 100 cm⁻¹ is a Boson peak. <b>c)</b> FTIR spectrum. The three visible absorption bands (1440 cm⁻¹, 1100 cm⁻¹ and 850 cm⁻¹) are all due to vibrations of the CO₃ group. <b>d)</b> and <b>e)</b> XPS Mg_2p and O_1s peaks. The Mg_2p peak at 52.1 eV and the O_1s peak at 533.5 eV stem from MgCO₃, the O_1s peak at 531.0 eV from MgO and the O_1s peak at 535.6 eV from surface adsorbed water. The solid lines represent the measured spectrum. The coloured lines are calculated using the CasaXPS software and represent the fitted curves (obtained using Gaussian-Lorentzian functions) and the subtracted background (obtained using a Shirley function).</p

Nanostructure and pore size control of template-free synthesised mesoporous magnesium carbonate

The structure of mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) first presented in 2013 is investigated using a bottom-up approach.</p