Exploiting the Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of PHB/PEG and PHB/PEG/ALG-e Blends Loaded with Ag Nanoparticles

Abstract

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-based films containing Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), esterified sodium alginate (ALG-e) and polymeric additives loaded with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) were obtained by a conventional casting method. AgNPs were produced in aqueous suspension and added to polymeric gels using a phase exchange technique. Composite formation was confirmed by finding the Ag peak in the XRD pattern of PHB. The morphological analysis showed that the inclusion of PEG polymer caused the occurrence of pores over the film surface, which were overshadowed by the addition of ALG-e polymer. The PHB functional groups were dominating the FTIR spectrum, whose bands associated with the crystalline and amorphous regions increased after the addition of PEG and ALG-e polymers. Thermal analysis of the films revealed a decrease in the degradation temperature of PHB containing PEG/AgNPs and PEG/ALG-e/AgNPs, suggesting a catalytic effect. The PHB/PEG/ALG-e/AgNPs film combined the best properties of water vapor permeability and hydrophilicity of the different polymers used. All samples showed good antimicrobial activity in vitro, with the greater inhibitory halo observed for the PEG/PEG/AgNPs against Gram positive S. aureus microorganisms. Thus, the PHB/PEG/ALG-e/AgNPs composite demonstrated here is a promising candidate for skin wound healing treatment.

Sustainable Synthesis of Biopolymer Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from Agro-residue by Brevibacterium casei with Emphasis on Degradation Analysis

“…43 The thermal analysis of PHB was in accordance with the following report which was efficacious with the results observed. According to the thermal analysis studies performed by Silva et al 44 The thermal degradation of PHB films was characterized by the random cleavage of the ester bond (C=O) at temperatures exceeding 200°C. This thermal behavior closely resembled the thermal stability observed in PHB films that incorporated PEG and ALG-e polymers.…”

Preparation of Hydrogel Composites Using a Sustainable Approach for In Situ Silver Nanoparticles Formation

“…Therefore, developing alternative antibiotic agents and treatments to control bacterial infections is critical. A possible answer to this growing issue is the use of nanomaterials with intrinsic antimicrobial properties [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most promising nanostructured materials in the biomedical field thanks to the antibacterial properties of silver.…”