Cationic guar gum orchestrated environmental synthesis for silver nano-bio-composite films

This work is meant for environmentally friendly synthesis and functional evaluation of silver nanoparticles in a newer cationic guar biopolymer (GGAA). Assembly of molecules in lower size range (similar to 10 nm) was attained in a biopolymer entrapped bottom-up synthesis. Guar gum is a filming biopolymer. Nanopartides encaged in cationic guar (GGAgnC) were preserved as films for months without any significant effect on particle size, distribution or plasmonic intensity. The new nano-bio-composite and films were characterized fully in FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM studies. Silver nanoparticles induced surface water repellency remarkably and lowered moisture permeability. GGAgnC film water contact angle was recorded as 115 degrees while, that in case of GGAA was 59 degrees. GGAgnC expressed intense antimicrobial activity when tested against a range of microorganisms. Immobilized silver nanoparticles in GGAA can feasibly be used as filming microbicidals suitable for textiles, packaging and biomedical device applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.