Here we present a facile method to produce a modified Ti3C2Tx from Max Phase Ti3AlC2 powder by etching. This process helps in controlling the characteristics and structure of MXene (MX). Then, MX was loaded with curcumin (cur) and surface modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) forming (PEG-MXNS@cur). The physicochemical characterization of MX and PEG-MXNS@cur were investigated using several techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Zeta Sizer, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The results showed the successful preparation of both MX and PEG-MXNS@cur. Encapsulation efficiency of curcumin was 99%. The drug release profile showed a cumulative release rate of 53% at 24 h and 73.5% at 96 h at pH 5 and at pH 7.4, curcumin showed a release of 1.4 % at 24 h and 2.25% at 96 h. Moreover, both MX and PEG-MXNS@cur showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF7 and HepG2 cell line. PEG-MXNS@Cur showed a viability percentage of 12.89 % and 19.77 % at the concentration of 250 μg/ml which is much lower compared to Mxene alone for HepG2 and MCF7, respectively. while PEG-MXNS@cur showed IC50 values of 721.73 and 791.6 μg/ml for MCF7 and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. These findings suggest that PEG-MXNS@cur has the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent to treat cancer with no or little side effects. This surface modification method is also simple and easy to adopt in MXene-based research.

Mxene, Mxene loaded curcumin, Physicochemical characterization, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant activity