Effects of the sol-gel route on the structural characteristics and antibacterial activity of silica-encapsulated gentamicin.

•Gentamicin encapsulated by acid-catalyzed gelation, base-catalyzed gelation and base-catalyzed precipitation routes.•Encapsulated gentamicin samples tested against five bacterial strains.•Gentamicin concentration on outermost surface and the zeta potential main factors (base-catalyzed route) for efficiency.