Instrumental characterization of the smectite clay–gentamicin hybrids

• DOI: 10.1007/s12034-015-0943-7
• Publication Date: 2015-07-28T05:41:36Z
• Authors: ALICJA RAPACZ-KMITA; EWA STODOLAK-ZYCH; MAGDALENA ZIABKA; AGNIESZKA ROZYCKA; MAGDALENA DUDEK
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

This paper focusses on the intercalation of clay mineral with gentamicin (an aminoglycoside antibiotic). The smectite clay–gentamicin hybrids were prepared by a solution intercalation at 60∘C and the process was carried out on unmodified smectite clay and on smectite after Na+ ionic activation. The resulting structural/microstructural properties and the potential for introducing gentamicin between smectite clay layers were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques and transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy X-ray analysis. The results confirm the successful intercalation of gentamicin into the interlayer space of smectite clay, demonstrating that the material thus obtained could potentially be used as a drug carrier.