Synthesis and characterization of polyacrylamide based hydrogel containing magnesium oxide nanoparticles for antibacterial applications

Abstract

A new hydrogel was synthesized based on polyacrylamide and sodium carboxymethylcellulose. N,N'-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) was used as crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) and N,N,N',N'-tetra-methylethylenediamine (TEMED) were utilized as initiators. Moreover, The MgO nanoparticles were added to the hydrogel network in order to investigate the antibacterial activity of synthesized polymer. Characterizations of hydrogels were carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The physical and chemical characterizations of the prepared hydrogels give valuable information on the morphological structure of polymer, swelling behavior, bonding formation of gels and physical properties. It can be concluded that by incorporation of NaCMC the hydrogel properties are retained chemically and the physical properties are clearly being enhanced in the aspects of swelling capacity, strength and flexibility. This study also investigates the antibacterial activities of prepared hydrogels against Escherichia coli which is a Gram negative food pathogenic bacteria. For this purpose, agar diffusion test or agar plate test was carried out and inhibition area for each hydrogel was determined. The inhibition zone for acrylamide hydrogel with NaCMC was about 4.52 cm2 since this area for MgO nanocomposite containing 0.03 gram of MgO was 15.19 cm2.