Smart biopolymer gels based on psyllium-alginate-cerium oxide nanoparticles with multifunctional properties

Psyllium, a polysaccharide derived from Plantago ovata seed husks, is renowned for its excellent gelling properties, attributed to intermolecular hydrogen bonding and chain entanglement. Recent studies highlight its potential as a smart biopolymer. This study introduces a novel multifunctional smart gel (Psy-Alg@CeO₂), comprising psyllium, alginate, and cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs), designed to exhibit self-healing, conductivity, adhesiveness, injectability, swelling, and antibacterial properties. The gel demonstrated outstanding performance, including a 100 % self-healing yield, conductivity (0.139 S/m), high swelling capacity (3005 %), and strong antibacterial effects against E. coli and S. aureus after 12 h of contact time. Structural and functional integrity were confirmed through FTIR, XRD, and SEM analyses. The results indicate that Psy-Alg@CeO₂ gel is a cost-effective, ready-to-use, and eco-friendly alternative to conventional smart materials, offering significant potential for applications in biomedicine, sensors, coatings, wearable electronics, tissue engineering, wound dressings, and beyond.