Controlled silver nanoparticles synthesis in semi-hydrogel networks of poly(acrylamide) and carbohydrates: A rational methodology for antibacterial application

In the present study, we report the preparation of semi interpenetrating hydrogel networks (SIHNs) based on cross-linked poly (acrylamide) prepared through an optimized rapid redox-solution polymerization with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in presence of three different carbohydrate polymers, namely gum acacia (GA), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and starch (SR). Highly stable and uniformly distributed silver nanoparticles have been obtained with hydrogel networks as nanoreactors via in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as reducing agent. The formation of silver nanoparticles has been confirmed with ultraviolet visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) provides the amounts of silver nanoparticles exist in the hydrogel networks. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results demonstrate that acacia employed hydrogels have regulated the silver nanoparticles size to 2–5 nm where as CMC and starch composed hydrogel networks result in a heterogeneous size from 2 to 20 nm. The preliminary antibacterial activity performed to these hydrogel–silver nanocomposites.