Thermo- and pH-Responsive CeF3 Nanocrystals/HPC–PAA Complex Nanogel and Its Drug Release Behavior

In this study, a kind of novel rare-earth nanocrystals/hydroxypropylcellulose–poly (acrylic acid) (HPC–PAA) complex fluorescent nanogel, its responsive behavior to environmental temperature and pH value were reported. For preparation, with HPC being used as template, HPC–PAA nanogel was first synthesized by polymerization and crosslinking reaction of acrylic acid (AA) in water solution. In the process, a redox initiator, which composed of ammonium persulfate (APS) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED), was used to initiate the reaction. Then, the as-prepared nanogel reacted with Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ${}_3{)}_3$ and NH 4 F solution successively, and a novel CeF 3 nanocrystals/HPC–PAA complex nanogel was fabricated. The microstructure of the nanogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric (TG) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The environmental sensitivity of the nanogel was investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and UV–Visible spectrophotometer (UV–Vis). The thermo- and pH-sensitive fluorescence were studied by PL at various temperatures and pH values; besides, the behavior of drug loading and release was researched by PL with a famous antibiotic of Ibuprofen as model drug. The results show that the PL intensity of the nanogel was largely affected by environmental temperature, or content of Ibuprofen loaded in the nanogel. The as-prepared nanogel can be used as useful sensitive material to detect temperature and pH value change, and drug loading or release property of Ibuprofen can be detected by PL emission of the nanogels conveniently.