Biodegradable sodium alginate‐based semi‐interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels for antibacterial application

Abstract A series of biodegradable, semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) hydrogels were synthesized from a combination of carbohydrate polymer and sodium alginate (NaAlg) with acrylamide and dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate, and crosslinked with N,N‐methylenebisacrylamide via radical redox polymerization. The cytocompatibility of the hydrogels with respect to their monomers and semi‐IPN hydrogels was evaluated in vitro using cultures of mouse fibroblast cell lines. This study allowed the entrapment of silver nanoparticles (NPs) into semi‐IPN hydrogel networks by the in situ reduction of Ag⁺ ions using NaBH₄ as a reducing agent. UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed the formation of silver NPs in the semi‐IPN hydrogel matrix. The formation of silver NPs was also confirmed from a themogravimetric analysis weight loss difference between hydrogel and silver nanocomposite as 32%. The morphology and structure of the AgNPs present in the hydrogel networks were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed silver NPs with a size of ∼5 nm. The silver nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited good antibacterial activity against both gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. These results suggest that the hydrogel can be applied as wound dressings and for water purification purposes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 3196–3206, 2014.