Solvation-Layer Mediated Interfacial Assembly for Surface Topological Engineering of Mesoporous Microcarriers

Abstract

Surface topological engineering represents a promising avenue in the rational design of advanced drug delivery systems. However, the ability to precisely construct topological features is often constrained by the intrinsic morphology and surface properties of the substrate. This underscores the pressing need for a universal strategy to engineer well-defined topographies across diverse carriers, tailored to optimize biointerface interactions. In this study, we developed a solvation-layer mediated interfacial assembly kinetics strategy for the controlled topological modification of diverse substrate materials. This approach enables the uniform growth of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) “hooks” with tunable submicron dimensions (length: 30–200 nm; width: 70–200 nm) onto substrates with distinct dimensionalities, including a 1D carbon nanotube, 2D graphene oxide nanosheet, and 3D mesoporous silica microsphere (mSiO₂). The resulting hierarchical surface architectures significantly enhance the interfacial interactions with mucosal tissues. As a proof of concept, mSiO₂@PMOs carriers coloaded with catalytically active platinum nanoparticles and the anti-inflammatory drug curcumin exhibited prolonged gastrointestinal (GI) retention and improved therapeutic performance in a gastric ulcer model. This work provides a versatile and substrate-adaptive strategy for engineering topologically enhanced mesoporous carriers, offering valuable insights into the structure–function relationship at biological interfaces and advancing the development of efficient oral drug delivery platforms.