Poly(allyl methacrylate) functionalized hydroxyapatite nanocrystals via the combination of surface-initiated RAFT polymerization and thiol–ene protocol: A potential anticancer drug nanocarrier

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals (HAP NCs) were encapsulated by poly(allyl methacrylate) (PolyAMA) employing controlled surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization of allyl methacrylate to afford HAP-PolyAMA nanohybrids. The subsequent thiol–ene coupling of nanohybrids with 2-mercaptosuccinic acid resulted HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH) possessing multicarboxyl group. The formation of the nanohybrids was confirmed by FT-IR and EDS analyses. The TGA and FE-SEM investigation were further suggested the grafting of PolyAMA onto HAP NCs. The utility of the HAP-PolyAMA nanohybrid as drug carrier was also explored. The pendant carboxyl groups on the external layers of nanohybrids were conjugated with anticancer drug cisplatin to afford HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH)/Pt complex. The formation of the complex was confirmed by FT-IR, XPS, and FE-SEM. In vitro evaluation of the synthesized complex as nanomedicine revealed its potential chemotherapeutic efficacy against cancer cell lines.

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► Hydroxyapatite NCs were grafted by poly(allyl methacrylate) using SI-RAFT polymerization.
► The nanohybrids were investigated by FT-IR, XPS, EDS, TGA, and FE-SEM.
► Employing thiol–ene chemistry, HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH) was prepared for nanocarrier.
► Anticancer agent cisplatin was incorporated into HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH).
► In vitro examination of the nanomedicine showed their potentialities against cancer cells.