Silver nanoparticles-containing dual-function hydrogels based on a guar gum-sodium borohydride system.
Dual-function hydrogels, possessing both stimuli-responsive and self-healing properties, have recently attracted attention of both chemists and materials scientists. Here we report a new paradigm using natural polymer (guar gum, GG) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4), for the preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-containing smart hydrogels in a simple, fast and economical way. NaBH4performs as a reducing agent for AgNPs synthesis using silver nitrate (AgNO3) as the precursor. Meanwhile, sodium metaborate (NaBO2) (from NaBH4) behaves as a cross-linking agent between GG molecular chains. The AgNPs/GG hydrogels with excellent viscoelastic properties can be obtained within 3 min at room temperature without the addition of other cross-linkers. The resultant AgNPs/GG hydrogels are flowable and injectable, and they possess excellent pH/thermal responsive properties. Additionally, they exhibit rapid self-healing capacity. This work introduces a facile and scale-up way to prepare a class of hydrogels that can have great potential to biomedical and other industrial applications.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Lei
L
Dai
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Ben
B
Nadeau
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Xingye
X
An
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Dong
D
Cheng
Key Laboratory of Eco-textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
Zhu
Z
Long
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Yonghao
Y
Ni