The Effect of Framework Composition and Molecular Mobility on Controlled Anticancer Drug Release by Zeolites.

Zeolites are a promising group of materials for use in controlled delivery systems of anticancer drugs such as 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) as they are crystalline, relatively cheap and possess channels and cavities that are suitable for the accommodation of different drug molecules. We aim to use quasielastic neutron scattering experiments to determine the mobility rates and mechanisms of 5-FU in zeolite faujasite (FAU), whilst varying the counterion (H+ and Na+) and Si/Al ratio (Si/Al = 5 and 80) of the zeolite. We also aim to quantify the barriers to fundamental mobility of the drug using elastic window scans from 50 – 300 K. This will allow for both validation of molecular modelling work carried out so far, and for a detailed understanding of which framework characteristics such as the nature and concentration of counterions affect molecular behaviour of confined 5-FU.