Stimuli-Responsive Polymeric Hydrogel-Copper Nanocomposite Material for Biomedical Application and Its Alternative Application to Catalytic Field

Naturally occurring non-toxic, biocompatible chitosan based hydrogel nanocomposite with copper nanoparticle was synthesized via in-situ free radical polymerization using chitosan (CS) as substrate, acrylamide (Am) as monomer, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), ammonium persulphate as an initiator and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. The synthesized CS-PAm-CuNPs hydrogel nanocomposite was characterized by rheology studies, HRSEM & FT-IR spectroscopy. It shows excellent swelling up to 300% in wide range of pH of 3-9 with good mechanical strength (exhibit 1380% stain value). Further, synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite was found to be a multi-responsive due biomedical application and alternative application to catalytic field. The synthesized hydrogel-nanocomposite showed 96% release of highly water soluble levofloxacin antibiotic drug in blood serum in controlled manner up to 30h and its catalytic activity (90%). Successful reduction of 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol in presence of hydrogel nanocomposite confirms its Catalytic property. This hydrogel nanocomposite catalyst was found to be ecofriendly and it can be reused after washing it with distilled water.