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A Method to Fabricate Disconnected Silver Nanostructures in 3D
Published on: November 27, 2012
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3D-Hydrogel Based Polymeric Nanoreactors for Silver Nano-Antimicrobial Composites Generation
Albanelly Soto-Quintero1, Ángel Romo-Uribe2, Víctor H Bermúdez-Morales3
1Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62209, Morelos, Mexico. soquia_17@hotmail.com.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 2, 2017
Summary
This study developed silver (Ag) hydrogel nanocomposites using novel in situ methods for antibacterial applications. The Ag-PU hydrogel nanocomposites demonstrated significant sustained inhibition against bacteria for up to 120 hours.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Hydrogel nanocomposites offer versatile platforms for biomedical applications.
- Developing effective antibacterial materials is crucial for combating infections.
- In situ synthesis of nanoparticles within hydrogels presents a promising approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize silver (Ag) hydrogel nanocomposites using in situ reactive and reduction pathways.
- To investigate two distinct synthetic strategies for creating these nanocomposites: thiol-acrylate (PSA) and polyurethane (PU) based hydrogels.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the developed Ag hydrogel nanocomposites.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized PSA hydrogels via thiol-ene and radical polymerization of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polycaprolactone (PCL).
- Synthesized PU hydrogels via condensation polymerization of diisocyanates, PCL, and PEG diols.
- Utilized hydrogel matrices as nanoreactors for in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO₃) to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).
- Investigated optical and swelling behaviors, and in vitro antibacterial activity against *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Escherichia coli*.
Main Results:
- Achieved spherical AgNPs formation in PU hydrogels using stannous catalyst at 4 °C without external reductant.
- Obtained well-dispersed spherical AgNPs in PSA hydrogels via thiol-functionalized networks after heating with citrate-reductant.
- Demonstrated a noticeable sustained inhibitory effect against tested bacterial strains.
- Ag-PU hydrogel nanocomposites exhibited bacterial inhibition for up to 120 hours.
Conclusions:
- Successfully developed Ag hydrogel nanocomposites with antibacterial properties via innovative in situ methods.
- The PU-based hydrogel nanocomposites show superior and sustained antibacterial efficacy.
- These Ag hydrogel nanocomposites hold potential as smart substrates for advanced antibacterial applications.
