Preparation of highly ordered hierarchical CaCO3 hemisphere and the application as pH value-sensitive anticancer drug carrier

A new highly ordered hierarchical CaCO3 hemisphere as pH value-sensitive anticancer drug carrier has been fabricated by a simple evaporation diffusion way under mild conditions. The SEM images show that the hierarchical CaCO3 hemispheres consist of densely stacked triangular-shaped aggregates by the self-organization of CaCO3 nanoparticles. A nanoparticle-mediated self-organization process induced by pepsin is proposed for the integration of functional materials. By the highly ordered hierarchical and pH value-sensitive structure, the hierarchical CaCO3 hemispheres as an anticancer drug carrier can stably preserve doxorubicin (DOX) under physiological conditions and selectively release them in the intracellular acid environment.

► A new highly ordered hierarchical CaCO3 hemisphere has been fabricated by a simple evaporation diffusion way under mild conditions.
► The hierarchical CaCO3 hemispheres consist of densely stacked triangular-shaped aggregates by the self-organization of CaCO3 nanoparticles.
► The hierarchical CaCO3 hemispheres as an anticancer drug carrier can stably preserve doxorubicin (DOX) under physiological conditions and selectively release them in the intracellular acid environment.