Ionic liquid-assisted synthesis of silica particles and their application in drug release

Hollow and porous silica particles have been successfully prepared by a simple acid gelation route using the sodium silicate as the reactant in ionic liquid solution, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. The drug release behavior of the as-prepared porous silica particles is studied to reveal their potential use in drug delivery system. The current work for the synthesis of silica particles with the sodium silicate as the reactant in an ionic liquid might open new directions and opportunities to explore the application of ionic liquid in materials fields combining with the biomedical area.