This work presents the synthesis of pH-responsive poly(2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate)
(PDEAEMA) brushes anchored on hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSN-PDEAEMA)
via a surface-initiated ARGET ATRP technique. The average size of HMSNs was ca. 340 nm, with a
90 nm mesoporous silica shell. The dry thickness of grafted PDEAEMA brushes was estimated
to be ca 30 nm, as estimated by SEM and TEM. The halogen group on the surface of PDEAMA
brushes was successfully derivatized with glucosamine, as confirmed by XPS. The e ect of pH on
the size of the hybrid nanoparticles was investigated by DLS. The size of fabricated nanoparticle
decreased from ca. 950 nm in acidic media to ca. 500 nm in basic media due to the deprotonation
of tertiary amine in the PDEAEMA. The PDEAEMA modified HMSNs nanocarrier was eciently
loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) with a loading capacity of ca. 64%. DOX was released in a relatively
controlled pH-triggered manner from hybrid nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity studies demonstrated
that DOX@HMSN-PDEAEMA-Glucosamine showed a strong ability to kill breast cancer cells
(MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR) at low drug concentrations, in comparison to free DOX