Nanostructured Polyacrylamide Hydrogels with Improved Mechanical Properties and Antimicrobial Behavior.

ABSTRACT: This work proposes a simple method to obtain nanostructured hydrogels with improved mechanical characteristics and relevant antibacterial behavior for applications in articular cartilage regeneration and repair. Low amounts of silver-decorated carbon-nanotubes (Ag@CNTs) were used as reinforcing agents of the semi-interpenetrating polymer network, consisting of linear polyacrylamide (PAAm) embedded in a PAAm-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) hydrogel. The rational design of the materials considered a specific purpose for each employed species: (1) the classical PAAm-MBA network provides the backbone of the materials; (2) the linear PAAm (i) aids the dispersion of the nanospecies, ensuring the systems' homogeneity and (ii) enhances the mechanical properties of the materials with regard to resil

SUBMITTER: Olaret E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9227893 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature