1
2
Supporting information
Experimental
Table S1. Details of materials and their amounts utilized during the study for protein
encapsulation
Sr. Material
No.
Molecular
weight
(g/mol)
Density
g/cm3
2.065
Amount utilized in
Reference
protein encapsulation (Utilized
process in this study Material
amount)
0.3665 g
2.932 g
Reference
(Utilized
Material
concentration)
9.87 mmol
1.
Zn(NO3)2·6H2O
297.49
2.
2-methylimidazole
82.103
1.03
0.811 g
6.488 g
79.04 mmol
3.
Triethylamine
101.19
0.7255
1 ml
NA
NA
4.
Bovine serum
albumin (BSA)
66.5 kDa
1.106
1 mg/ml
NA
NA
5
Fluorescein isothio
cyanate
Water
389.4
1.542
1 mg/ml
NA
NA
18.01
1
25 ml
200 ml
-
6.
2. Experimental
2.2.1 ZIF-8 synthesis in aqueous medium
To prepare ZIF-8 in aqueous medium, we followed the synthesis procedure investigated by
Michal S. Waston et al, as shown in Table 1. A solid mixture of zinc nitrate (0.3665 g, 9.87
mmol) was dissolved in 25 ml of distilled water. A second solution contained 2methylimidazole (0.811 g, 79.04 mmol) and 1 ml trimethyl ethyl amine (TEA) mixed in 25
mL of distilled water and stirred until fully dissolved. The Zn solution was added to the
stirred HMe-Im-TEA solution. The liquid mixture immediately turned an opaque white color
and was then stirred again for 10 minutes. The synthesis mixture was separated through
centrifugation, the supernatant was decanted, and the solid crystal was re-suspended in
distilled water. The white crystal remained in water for 12 hours, was separated through
centrifugation at 12,000 rpm for 30 minutes, and was then re-suspended in DI water for
another 12 hours. The suspended ZIF-8 was centrifuged and solid crystal was collected and
dried in air in a 110°C oven. Finally, the crystal was dried at 150°C for 60 minutes.
2.2.2 Procedure for encapsulating BSA in ZIF-8
A solid mixture of zinc nitrate (0.3665 g, 9.87 mmol) was dissolved in 25 ml of distilled
water. A second solution of 2-methylimidazole (0.811 g, 79.04 mmol) and trimethyl ethyl
amine (TEA) (1 ml) was mixed in 25 mL of distilled water and was stirred until dissolved.
The Zn solution was added to the stirred HMe-Im-TEA solution, whereupon the liquid
mixture immediately turned an opaque white color. BSA (1 mg/mL) was dissolved in
distilled water in a separate test tube and was mixed with Zn/HMe-Im-TEA solution at room
temperature by stirring for 10 minutes. The synthesis mixture was separated through
centrifugation, the supernatant was decanted, and the solid crystal was re-suspended in
distilled water. The cream-colored crystal remained in water for 12 hours before being
separated through centrifugation at 12,000 rpm for 30 minutes, and re-suspended in DI water
for another 12 hours. The ZIF-8 suspension was centrifuged and then the solid polyhedral
crystal was collected and vacuum dried for 12 hours at room temperature. The product was
then characterized using various experimental tools.
The same procedure mentioned above was used to encapsulate FITC-BSA in ZIF-8. The aim
of this experimental study was to confirm the encapsulation of BSA in ZIF-8 via confocal
microscopy.