The bimodal mesoporous silicas with short random mesoporous channels and MCM-41 with long ordered mesopores were synthesised and modified with 3-(2-aminoethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane as ibuprofen carriers to study the influence of mesoporous structure on drug delivery property. For further comparing the different mesoporous channels, modified SBA-15 with relative large and long ordered mesopores was also synthesized as drug carriers. The resultant samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analyses, solid-state Si-29 NMR spectra, elemental analysis, and UV-vis spectra. Meanwhile, the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation f(t) = kt(n) was employed to analyze the drug release profile and three release mediums including simulated fluid solution, distilled water and simulated gastric fluid were used. The results indicated that the modified BMMs with the bimodal mesopores leaded to the most drug loading amount of 25.0 mg/0.1 g, while the MCM-41 with the long and one-dimensional mesopores had the least loading amount around 20.3 mg/0.1 g. Meanwhile, the easier diffusion behavior of drug molecules in the bimodal mesopore channels of BMMs resulted in relatively faster drug release properties in comparison with MCM-41, while the release time maintained in SBF for about 12 h (release percent was about 90 wt%) and corresponding release constant k obtained from Korsmeyer-Peppas equation was around 4.10. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.