Abstract
New accessible sonochemical methods were developed for the functionalization of synthesized graphene oxide (GO) with copper/iron compounds and drug intercalation into their structure in aqueous solution at ambient conditions by using ultrasound (20 kHz) treatment. The sonochemical formation mechanism of a new nanomaterial was revealed through the structural analysis of three types of nanocomposites: (i) copper@graphene oxide, (ii) copper/iron@graphene oxide and (iii) iron@graphene oxide.
Unique copper/iron-modified graphene oxide nanocomposites can be used as nanocarriers for the anti-inflammatory drug (ketorolac) delivery in aqueous solution due to the reduced submicron size and enlarged surface area. Disintegration of the ultrasonically intercalated ketorolac followed the exponential decay curve fit at higher pH values of the aqueous solution with a higher decay constant observed in copper/iron-modified graphene oxide nanocomposites.