Controlled Preparation of SiO ₂ Aerogel Microspheres with Tunable Surface Properties and the Application for Amphiphilic Drug‐Loading

Abstract SiO 2 aerogel microspheres are new type of nanomaterials that have been increasingly studied for applications in drug loading due to the controllable size and abundant nanopores. SiO 2 aerogel microspheres with controllable size and diameter were prepared through the emulsion combined with atmospheric pressure drying with alkaline silica sol as the silicon source. The aerogel microspheres with an average pore size of 16.57 nm, a specific surface area of 206.89 m 2 /g, and controllable hydrophobicity through proper modification were applied to encapsulate hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, respectively. The open pore structure and proper hydrophobic environment ensured effective loading and the sustained‐release of the drugs both in liquid and air fluid. Therefore, the prepared SiO 2 aerogel microspheres with good controllability and loading ability can be used as a drug‐loading matrix, and show good perspective in the applications of biomedicine and other fields.