Chitosan-silver nanocomposites: New functional biomaterial for health-care applications

Chitosan-silver nanocomposites (CS-HDA-AgNCs) was prepared using chitosan, biogenic silver nanocomposites, and crosslinker, hexamethylene 1,6-di(amino carboxysulfonate) (HDA). The film is flexible and transparent. Its physical, mechanical, thermal, hydrophilicity, and swelling properties were improved by HDA (2.5%). The antimicrobial activity of CS-HDA-AgNCs were not displayed any remarkable zone of inhibition but showed toxic effect in the presence of normal 3T3 fibroblasts and cancer HeLa cells. It decreases to ca. 5-7% for both cell lines. In conclusion, it can be mentioned that the CS-HDA-AgNCs, a kind of new functional biomaterial, could be useful for health-care applications. [GRAPHICS]