Improving thermo‐responsive hydrogel films by gamma rays and loading of Cu and Ag nanoparticles

Abstract

This paper presents two modified copolymeric hydrogel films with thermo‐responsiveness. The final films are hydrogels containing N‐isopropylacrylamide, N‐N‐dimethylacrylamide, methyl methacrylate, and ethoxyethyl methacrylate. The incorporation of Ag and Cu in the smart hydrogel films endowed them with specific properties that could be useful in developing biological sensors, smart membranes, or flexible electronic components, which are proper for design and improvement on technology and biomedical applications. The films were synthesized in solution by gamma radiation at a dose rate of 10 kGy h−1, and an absorbed dose of 50 kGy. The characterization was realized by different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques as FTIR‐ATR, atomic force microscopy, SEM–EDX, TGA, and DSC. The hydrogel films were grafted with glycidyl methacrylate showing high resistance, biocompatibility, adequate adaptability, flexibility, in addition to the capacity of metal doping with silver and copper.

Simultaneous Grafting Polymerization of Acrylic Acid and Silver Aggregates Formation by Direct Reduction Using γ Radiation onto Silicone Surface and Their Antimicrobial Activity and Biocompatibility

“…Several strategies for the production of AgNPs onto polymer substrates have been reported [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. For example, the synthesis of AgNPs in-between polyacrylic acid grafts has already been achieved by chemical reduction of Ag + to form hybrid materials [ 27 ].…”