Synthesis and characterization of PEG-functionalized graphene oxide as an effective pH-sensitive drug carrier

In the present work, PEG4000 as a hydrophilic polymer was conjugated to the surface of graphene oxide (GO) for effective drug loading and targeting release of doxorubicin. The synthesized nanohybrid was characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Doxorubicin as an anticancer drug was immobilized on the nanohybrid surface, and the release profile at two diverse pH besides the MTT assay was investigated. The IC50 value for the nanohybrid obtained was 0.31 mu g/mL. In this work, PEG4000 as a bio-compatible polymer grafted on the GO surface to increase the biodispersibility of the drug carrier in a biological environment, but it is the first report of PEG 4000-GO nanohybrid-based drug carrier.