Mesostructured silica/block copolymer monoliths as a controlled release device and methods of manufacture
The invention comprises the design, synthesis, and characterization of mesostructured silica/block copolymer composite monoliths as controlled release systems. The controlled release function is based on the formation of mesostructured silica/block copolymer architectures via surfactant-templated sol-gel processing. Multi-layered or gradient monoliths are produced by layer-by-layer sol-gel processing to provide pulsed and programmed release characteristics. A simple, rapid route to prepare combinatorial compositional monolith libraries provides high-throughput synthesis and rapid screening of the release characteristics of the monoliths.
1 . A composition for controlled release of molecular species comprising:
(A) a product of the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound performed in the presence of a catalyst;
(B) the metal alkoxide selected from the group consisting of:
(1) a compound represented by the formula R a M(OR 1 ) x-a wherein
(a) R represents a variable selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an organic group;
(b) R 1 represents an organic group;
(c) a is an integer of the group consisting of 1 and 2; and
(d) x represents metal or metalloid dependent electronic valency;
(2) a compound represented by the formula M(OR 2 ) wherein R 2 represents an organic group; and
(3) a compound represented by the formula R 3 b (R 4 O) x-b M-(R 7 ) d -M(OR 5 ) x-c R 6 c wherein
(a) R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent an organic group;
(b) b and c are an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2;
(c) R 7 represents a variable selected from a group consisting of an oxygen atom, an organic group, a combination of an oxygen atom and an organic group, and a group represented by —(CH 2 ) n — wherein n is selected from a group of integers from 1 to 1,000,000; and
(d) d is selected from the group consisting of 0 and 1;
(C) a product of hydrolysis and condensation obtained by hydrolizing and condensing an organic polymer and at least one metal compound performed in the presence of a catalyst; and
(D) the metal compound selected from the group consisting of:
(1) a compound represented by the formula R a M(OR 1 ) x-a wherein
(a) R represents a variable selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an organic group;
(b) R 1 represents an organic group;
(c) a is an integer of the group consisting of 1 and 2; and
(d) x represents metal or metalloid dependent electronic valency;
(2) a compound represented by the formula M(OR 2 ) wherein R 2 represents an organic group; and
(3) a compound represented by the formula R 3 b (R 4 O) x-b M-(R 7 ) d -M(OR 5 ) x-c R 6 c wherein
(a) R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent an organic group;
(b) b and c are an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2;
(c) R 7 represents a variable selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, an organic group, a combination of an oxygen atom and an organic group, and a group represented by —(CH 2 ) n — wherein n is selected from a group of integers from 1 to 1,000,000; and
(d) d is selected from the group consisting of 0 and 1.
2 . The composition according to claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound is performed in the presence of an acid catalyst.
3 . The composition according to claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound is performed in the presence of an base catalyst.
4 . A composition for controlled release of molecular species comprising:
(A) a product of the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound performed in the presence of a catalyst;
(B) the metal alkoxide selected from the group consisting of:
(1) a compound represented by the formula R a M(OR 1 ) x-a wherein
(a) R represents a variable selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an organic group;
(b) R 1 represents an organic group;
(c) a is an integer of the group consisting of 1 and 2; and
(d) x represents metal or metalloid dependent electronic valency;
(2) a compound represented by the formula M(OR 2 ) wherein R 2 represents an organic group; and
(3) a compound represented by the formula R 3 b (R 4 O) x-b M-(R 7 ) d -M(OR 5 ) x-c R 6 c wherein
(a) R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent an organic group;
(b) b and c are an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2;
(c) R 7 represents a variable selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, an organic group, a combination of an oxygen atom and an organic group, and a group represented by —(CH 2 ) n — wherein n is selected from a group of integers from 1 to 1,000,000; and
(d) d is selected from the group consisting of 0 and 1;
(C) a product of the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metalloid compound performed in the presence of a catalyst; and
(D) the metalloid compound selected from the group consisting of:
(1) a compound represented by the formula R a M(OR 1 ) x-a wherein
(a) R represents a variable selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an organic group;
(b) R 1 represents an organic group;
(c) a is an integer of the group consisting of 1 and 2; and
(d) x represents metal or metalloid dependent electronic valency;
(2) a compound represented by the formula M(OR 2 ) wherein R 2 represents an organic group; and
(3) a compound represented by the formula R 3 b (R 4 O) x-b M-(R 7 ) d -M(OR 5 ) x-c R 6 c wherein
(a) R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 represent an organic group;
(b) b and c are an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2;
(c) R 7 represents a variable selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, an organic group, a combination of an oxygen atom and an organic group, and a group represented by —(CH 2 ) n — wherein n is selected from a group of integers from 1 to 1,000,000; and
(d) d is selected from the group consisting of 0 and 1.
5 . The composition according to claim 4 wherein the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound is performed in the presence of an acid catalyst.
6 . The composition according to claim 4 wherein the hydrolysis and condensation of an organic polymer and at least one metal alkoxide compound is performed in the presence of an base catalyst.