Development of a complex hydrogel of hyaluronan and PVA embedded with silver nanoparticles and its facile studies on Escherichia coli.

Novel nanocomposite hydrogels composed of hyaluronan (HA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and silver nanoparticles were prepared by several cycles of freezing and thawing. The nanocomposite was then characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The complex hydrogels consisted of semi-interpenetrating network structures, with PVA microcrystallines as junction zones. By increasing the HA content, the crystallinity and melting temperature of the complex hydrogels decreased, whereas the glass transition temperatures of these materials increased because of the steric hindrance of HA and the occurrence of intermolecular interactions through hydrogen bonding between HA and PVA in the complex hydrogels. Swelling studies showed that in comparison with the swelling properties of the cryogels from PVA alone, those of the complex hydrogels can be significantly improved and presented in a pH-sensitive manner. In addition, silver nanoparticles were synthesised through UV-initiated photoreduction with HA functioning as a reducing agent and stabiliser. The silver nanoparticles were then incorporated in situ into the HA/PVA complex hydrogel matrix. The size and morphology of the as-prepared Ag nanoparticles were investigated through ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, XRD and thermogravimetric analysis. The experimental results indicated that silver nanoparticles 20-50 nm in size were uniformly dispersed in the hydrogel matrix. The antibacterial effects of the HA/PVA/Ag nanocomposite hydrogel against Escherichia coli were evaluated. The results show that this nanocomposite hydrogel possesses high antibacterial property and has a potential application as a wound dressing material.