Facile method to covalently-jointed ZnO-NPs with Chitosan by using GPTMS: a new strategy to decrease the cytotoxicity of ZnO-NPs

Abstract

In the present study, a combination of Zinc Oxide- (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane- Chitosan (ZnO-GPTMS-CS) nano-hybrid were fabricated by modifying the surface of ZnO-NPs and combining it with CS to investigate the influence of surface modification on the thermal stability and cell viability of the nanoparticles. The properties of the prepared samples including surface modification of ZnO-NPs (ZnO-GPTMS-NPs) and the ZnO-GPTMS-CS nano-hybrid were investigated by different techniques. The ZnO-GPTMS-CS nano-hybrid exhibited high thermal stability in comparison to CS and modified ZnO (ZnO-GPTMS). Moreover, the cytotoxicity assay showed that ZnO-GPTMS-CS nano-hybrid had excellent cell viability compared to ZnO-NPs and ZnO-GPTMS in different concentrations. Especially considered in regard to 50 μg/ml of nano-hybrid, cell survival remained more than 90% after 48 hours of incubation. Thus, the results indicated that ZnO-NPs reacted with GPTMS and CS has a great potential to be used in biological applications.