A versatile shaping route for the controlled release of nitric oxide from porous solids

Different classes of ordered porous materials, metal-organic frameworks and titanosilicates, with potential as nitric oxide (NO) delivery carriers are combined with a biocompatible hydrophobic polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), to obtain a more clinically practical format and to improve the delivery kinetics and stability of the porous materials for NO-based therapies. Incorporation into PCL films transforms the rapid, minute-scale NO release of the powders into sustained release profiles lasting up to 24 h in biologically relevant media. By selecting the type of porous solid and tuning its loading and particle size within the polymer matrix, the NO dosage and release rate can be modulated. The film-like form of these PCL/porous material composites is particularly promising for clinical applications, such as wound dressings, where controlled NO release may support healing while providing antibacterial effects.