Electrophoretic Preparation of an Organic–Inorganic Hybrid of Layered Metal Hydroxide and Hydrogel for a Potential Drug‐Delivery System

Abstract

Abstract We have prepared organic–inorganic hybrid materials consisting of layered metal hydroxides and hydrogel polymers for potential use as a drug delivery system. The hybrid materials were synthesized by an electrophoretic method; anionic precursors, OH – /CO 3 2– , and cationic metal Zn 2+ were migrated into hydrogel by applying an electrical potential of 25 V for 20 min to form inorganic nanocrystals inside the hydrogel matrix. Hydrozincite [Zn 5 (OH) 8 (CO 3 )] nanoparticles, a kind of layered metal hydroxide, were determined to develop inside the hydrogel according to powder X‐ray diffraction, FTIR, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopic images showed that the prepared hybrid materials have well‐dispersed inorganic nanoparticles in the hydrogel matrix. In order to evaluate the potential of the thus prepared hybrid materials as a drug‐delivery system, the well‐known antioxidant ferulic acid was incorporated and their time‐dependent release profile was obtained by HPLC.