Size-controlled synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxicity study of monodisperse poly(dimethylsiloxane) nanoparticles

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using dimethylsiloxane and tetraethyl orthosilicate as precursors via a modified Stober process. A diluted ammonia solution was added to the reaction mixture. This induced base-catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation, forming dispersed nanocolloids. The as -synthesized organosilica NPs exhibited excellent colloidal stability without any noticeable precipitation in water. The particle size was readily tunable, in a diameter range of approximately 50-300 nm, by changing the amount of catalysts added to the reaction. Furthermore, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of PDMS NPs using a CCK-8 assay to demonstrate that PDMS NPs are promising for biomedical applications. (C) 2017 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.