Preparation, characterization and antibacterial applications of carboxymethyl chitosan/CuO nanocomposite hydrogels

In this study, a series of antibacterial carboxymethyl chitosan/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by treating the carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) hydrogel with copper (II) chloride (CuCl₂) solution followed by the oxidation of copper ions in the presence of sodium hydroxide. The resulting nanocomposite hydrogels were characterized by using FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. The SEM micrographs revealed the uniform distribution of CuO nanoparticles in the hydrogel matrix with the size ranging from 20nm to 50nm, while XRD patterns confirmed the formation of monoclinic crystalline structures of CuO nanoparticles. The swelling behavior of the nanocomposite hydrogels were studied at a varied pH range. CMCh/CuO nanocomposite hydrogels showed rather higher swelling as compared to pure CMCh hydrogel. The antibacterial properties of the nanocomposite hydrogels were studied against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results showed excellent antibacterial behavior of the nanocomposite hydrogels. Therefore, the developed CMCh/CuO nanocomposite hydrogels might be used effectively in numerous biomedical fields.