Synthesis of highly swellable silver nanocomposite ionic double network (Ag-IDN) hydrogels and study of their characteristic properties

• Published in: Polymer bulletin (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2022-08, Vol.79 (8), p.6759-6776
• Main Authors: Kumar, Nand, Dixit, Akansha, Bag, Dibyendu S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Alcohol; Biomedical materials; Borax; Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Citric acid; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Crosslinking polymerization; Cytotoxicity; E coli; Fourier transforms; Hydrogels; Kinetics; Medical equipment; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nitrates; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Polyvinyl alcohol; Silver; Silver nitrate; Soft and Granular Matter; Swelling
• ISSN: 0170-0839; 1436-2449
• DOI: 10.1007/s00289-021-03816-5

Nowadays, silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-embedded nanocomposite hydrogels are very attractive soft materials for biomedical applications. In this investigation, AgNPs were incorporated into ionic double network (IDN) hydrogels by in-situ reduction of AgNO 3 using citric acid in the fully swollen hydrogels. The IDN hydrogels were pH-responsive multifunctional double network consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax as the first network and P(AM-co-NaAA) as the second network. The nanocomposite hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, XRD and TEM analyses. FTIR analysis revealed the successful incorporation of silver particles because of the observation of coordination of Ag + ions with the carboxylate (–COO − ) group of NaAA component present in the hydrogels. The characteristic presence of face-centered crystalline silver nanoparticles into the hydrogels was observed in X-ray diffractogram. The diameters of such AgNPs were observed to be in the range of 10–40 nm by TEM. These Ag-IDN nanocomposite hydrogels were further characterized for their swelling behavior and swelling kinetics as well as antibacterial property. The incorporation of AgNPs into the polymer network led to decrease of the swelling capacity of the hydrogels. The swelling characteristic constant (K) of the nanocomposite hydrogels was less than that of the virgin IDN hydrogels. Such Ag-IDN nanocomposite hydrogels exhibited antibacterial activity toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. However, among the four nanocomposite hydrogels studied in this investigation, Ag-IDN-2 exhibited the best growth inhibition of Bacillus subtills (Gram + ve) whereas Ag-IDN-3 for Escherichia coli (Gram –ve ) microorganisms. Such Ag-IDN nanocomposite hydrogels may find potential biomedical applications.