Abstract
The paper presents the preparation and characterization of novel composite materials based on microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in powder and gel forms. We use a promising synthetic conception to form the novel composite biomaterials. At first MCC was modified with colloidal solution of Ag NPs in isopropyl alcohol prepared via metal vapor synthesis. Then Ag-containing MCC powder was used as precursor for further preparation of the gels. The hydrogels were prepared by dissolving pristine MCC and MCC-based composite at low temperatures in aqueous alkali solution and gelation at elevated temperature. To prepare aerogels the drying in supercritical carbon dioxide was implemented. The as-prepared cellulose composites were characterized in terms of morphology, structure, and phase composition. Since many functional properties, including biological activity, in metal-composites are determined by the nature of the metal-to-polymer matrix interaction, the electronic state of the metal was carefully studied. The studied cellulose-based materials containing biologically active Ag NPs may be of interest for use as wound healing or water-purification materials.
Highlights
According to one of the existing definitions, “an aerogel is a solid material with mesoand macropores with diameters up to a few hundred nanometers and a porosity of more than 95% in which the dispersed phase is a gas” [1]
When cellulose is dissolved in such a solvent, a viscous transparent sol is formed, which at an elevated temperature of 60 ◦ C turns into a physical cellulose II gel with net-like morphology [9]
It can be seen that the temperature of the maximum decomposition rate in argon for AC (349 ◦ C) is noticeably higher than for microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) (336 ◦ C)
Summary
According to one of the existing definitions, “an aerogel is a solid material with mesoand macropores with diameters up to a few hundred nanometers and a porosity of more than 95% in which the dispersed phase is a gas” [1]. The inclusion of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), which are known to have intrinsic antimicrobial activity [31], into hydrogels and aerogels based on cellulose seems to be a very promising task. Such composite materials are of interest in the field of biomedical practice for the treatment of wounds [32,33], in catalysis as renewable catalysts [34], and as materials for air and water purification for ecology-related applications [35].
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