Silicification of Amine-Epoxide Cationic Microgels: An In Vitro Investigation

Herein, the applicability of an unconventional, non-vinylic type of amine-epoxide microgels (MGs) to promote silica deposition from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was investigated. Simply mixing MGs with TEOS in water at 25 °C resulted in the formation of hybrid silica-MG particles (sMGs) as a function of silicification time. The sMGs were cationic with thermal-sensitive swelling capability. Extending silicification time to 24 h was shown to increase silica content to 43%. Besides, the sMGs became structurally more rigid to resist drying-induced deformation and exhibited a rugged surface texture. Mechanistically, the aminated nature of the MGs was proved beneficial for the success of their silicification, fulfilling dual functions of the catalyst for TEOS hydrolysis and template for silica deposition. Through electrostatic adsorption, the sMGs provided a facile yet robust option for surface modifications toward bone-related applications. Surface-induced mineralization in simulated biological fluids was observed with sMG-immobilized surfaces, where the presence of hydroxyapatite was characterized in the deposited apatite. In vitro MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell studies showed that cell adhesion, morphology, and proliferation could be influenced by both sMG types and their adsorption density. Of particular interest is the finding of cells exhibiting elongated and greatly polarized morphology on the surface with high adsorption density of sMGs of 43% silica. It was postulated that the rugged appearance of such sMGs could have presented a hierarchically structured surface toward cells, an interesting aspect to be further exploited for the engineering of cell–surface interactions.