Fluorographene-derived colloidal dispersions for donepezil delivery: From chemical synthesis to engineering of drug carriers

Fluorinated graphene oxide (FGO) colloidal dispersions have recently emerged as promising drug delivery systems. In this study, graphene acid (GA) and its partially fluorinated counterpart (FGA) were synthesized and characterized comprehensively. Both GA and FGA formed stable colloidal dispersions in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, 1 mg/mL) after sonication, with particle size and surface charge strongly influenced by surface chemistry and interparticle interactions. Biocompatibility tests indicated that neither GA nor FGA exhibits cytotoxicity, as high cell viability remained across all tested concentrations. Donepezil (Don) was chosen as a model Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in order to evaluate the drug-loading capacity of FGA. Simple mixing of FGA with Don resulted in efficient drug loading, while molecular dynamic and quantum-chemical studies provided molecular-level insight into FGA-donepezil interactions. Overall, these findings demonstrate that FGA is a biocompatible nanocarrier with potential added value for pharmaceutical applications. • Controllable synthesis of fluorographene-derived materials. • Colloidal behavior of graphene acid derivatives. • High biocompatibility. • Donepezil high loading efficiency in graphene colloidal dispersion. • Investigation of the interactions between graphene-based carriers and donepezil.