Fabrication and Optimisation of Alginate/Agarose Silver Nanocomposites Hydrogel Towards Antimicrobial Activities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/mjfas.v22n4.5542Keywords:
Alginate–agarose hydrogel, Silver nanoparticles, Nanocomposite wound dressing, Mechanical properties, Antibacterial activityAbstract
The co-implantation of alginate (Al) and agarose (Ag) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is one of the feasible strategies to develop nanocomposite hydrogels for future wound dressings. Natural hydrogels have emerged as promising materials because of their excellent biocompatibility; however, they experience poor mechanical strength and infection susceptibility. This study aims to 3synthesise and optimise AgNP-loaded alginate-agarose composite hydrogel beads and to comprehensively evaluate their physiochemical, mechanical, antimicrobial, and cell attachment performance for potential applications in wound dressing. Composite hydrogels were synthesised using alginate and agarose with different ratios and loaded with silver nanoparticles. Structural characterisation was carried out by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to analyse the chemical interactions. The functional properties were analysed through swelling ratio measurement, mechanical strength (ASTM D638 Type V), and antibacterial assay against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Escherichia coli (E. coli). FESEM and TEM images revealed that the nanocomposite hydrogels have a porous structure and the AgNPs were well dispersed (6.6–22.9 nm, mean 14.1 nm). The FTIR data showed a strong coordination of silver ions with carboxylate groups in the polymer network. The swelling analysis also showed that the hydrogels are suitable for exudate management. The mechanical strength analysis of the Al1.8–Ag2.6 formulation brought the best compromise between strength (Young's modulus 20.7 kPa) and flexibility. Moreover, the antibacterial assay confirmed the excellent bactericidal effect against the tested bacteria. The optimised Al1.8–Ag2.6 nanocomposite hydrogel beads showed a synergistic improvement in mechanical strength, antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility. This study demonstrates that AgNP-loaded alginate-agarose hydrogel has significant potential as an antimicrobial wound dressing materials.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Veithesswary Mogan, Norshamiza Abu Bakar, Dr Norhayati Yusop, Dr Juan Matmin, Dr Nur Fatiha Ghazalli
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