Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Tunable Shape and Size

The structural and morphological properties of mesoporous silica nanoparticles( MSNs) have dramatical influence on their in vivo biological behaviors,and thereby synthesis of MSNs with well-defined shape and size has recently attracted much more attention in the biomedical field. The synthesis of MSNs with controllable size and shape was presented by controlling the reaction temperature and the concentration of templating agent(cetyltrimethylammonium bromide,CTAB). The results indicated that MSNs were larger in particle size and more round in shape with increasing of the reaction temperature,but their particle size and dispersivity became smaller and poorer as CTAB concentration increased. Therefore,the particle size and shape of MSNs can be tuned by using the optimal synthesis conditions for specific biomedical applications.