Carbon Nanostructure/polymer Composites Processing and Characteristics in Localized Controlled Drug Delivery System (LCDDSs)

Carbon nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxide and their derivatives, have been recognized in biomedicine and drug delivery, due to their outstanding optical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical characteristics. Carbon nanostructures/ polymer composites with various active and functional groups provide many binding sites for inorganic/organic species and biomolecules and are described as favorable candidates to label and drag different drugs, genes, proteins and therapeutic molecules. This chapter focuses on studies about the deployment of nanostructures/ polymer composites, for efficient drug delivery, especially localized controlled drug/gene delivery systems (LCDDS). Effects of various parameters and features, including composite microstructures, hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of composites, glass transition and polymer matrix molecular weight, on LCDDS are fully examined and discussed. 

Keywords: Carbon nanostructure, Carbon nanotube, Composite, Graphene, Polymer, Local drug delivery.