Abstract
Green bionanocomposites have garnered considerable attention and applications in the pharmaceutical and packaging industries because of their intrinsic features, such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. The work presents a novel approach towards the combined effect of glycerol, tween 80 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the physicochemical properties of lyophilized chitosan (CH) scaffolds produced via a green synthesis method.The produced bionanocomposites were characterized with the help of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The swelling behavior, water vapor transmission rate, moisture retention capability, degradation in Hanks solution, biodegradability in soil, mechanical strength and electrochemical performance of the composites were evaluated. The addition of additives to the CH matrix alters the physicochemical and biological functioning of the matrix. Plasticized scaffolds showed an increase in swelling degree, water vapor transmission rate and degradability in Hank’s balanced solution compared to the blank chitosan scaffolds. The addition of tween 80 made the scaffolds more porous, and changes in physicochemical properties were observed. Green-synthesized AgNPs showed intensified antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Incorporating biogenic nanoparticles into the CH matrix enhances the polymer composites’ biochemical properties and increases the demand in the medical and biological sectors. These freeze-dried chitosan-AgNPs composite scaffolds had tremendous applications, especially in biomedical fields like wound dressing, tissue engineering, bone regeneration, etc.
Highlights
Biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic and antibacterial biopolymer that comes in several forms such as composites [3], hydrogel [4], film [5] and scaffolds [6]
CH scaffolds could be used for potential therapeutic agent abstraction, controlled drug release [10], wound management [11], bone regeneration [12] and tissue engineering [13]
Silver nitrate (AgNO3), glycerol, tween 80 and glacial acetic acid were supplied from Merck chemicals, Mumbai, India
Summary
Over the last two decades, scientists have been more focused on polymer nanocomposites. Bionanocomposites are nanocomposites with at least one nanometer-scale dimension and are biologically existing polymers (biopolymer) bonded with an inorganic component [1]. They offer the notable merits of showing biocompatibility, biodegradability, and improved properties due to incorporated fillers or inorganic moieties. Depending on the nanofiller’s nature, the composite shows a modification in its mechanical, thermal, barrier and biological properties [2]. Chitosan (CH) is a deacetylated derivative of chitin, the world’s second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose. It is a natural, biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic and antibacterial biopolymer that comes in several forms such as composites [3], hydrogel [4], film [5] and scaffolds [6]. CH scaffolds could be used for potential therapeutic agent abstraction, controlled drug release [10], wound management [11], bone regeneration [12] and tissue engineering [13]
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