EXPLODING CARBON NANOTUBES FOR EFFECTIVE DRUG RELEASE

Heated water in carbon nanotubes for effective drug delivery

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are used for numerous exotic options for therapies. They are used as tubes for drugs which would flow into the bloodstream towards the affected region or target. The main problem occurred when precise targeting was not achieved. The drug would either be released too quickly or too slowly depending on the degradation of the cap of carbon nanotubes. Vitaly Chaban and Oleg Prezhdo from University of Rochester in the Department of Chemistry examined the dependence of “boiling process on CNT diameter and infrared radiation energy”. The procedure itself used classical molecular dynamics simulation to establish the effects of vapor phase transition and the pressure. This type of confinement in the nanotube greatly changes the boiling point water even with a small increase in temperature. Therefore, it creates a pressure “equivalent to hundreds of atmospheres”. This capillary theory is valid only for carbon nanotubes with diameters greater than or equal to 2nm, as narrow CNTs alter the boiling process dramatically. The method involves illuminating the affected cells with an infrared laser that heats the tubes. When CNT enters the specific cell, the laser heats the tubes and drives the local vaporization of the confined water. Proliferation of pressure inside the CNTs and on its diameter leads to this drug release proposal. This evaporated liquid inside the CNT generates pressure on the edges, destroys the capping agents and pushes the drug molecules outside with the release of water. Although, this proposed method has several problems, in fact, it allows for selective targeting of the affected area. This can serve as another potential tool for drug delivery mechanisms.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.1328.pdf
http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.1328