A Glucose Biosensor Based on Immobilization of Glucose Oxidase into 3D Macroporous TiO2

3D macroporous TiO₂ inverse opals have been derived from a sol‐gel procedure using polystyrene colloidal crystals as templates. EDS and SEM showed a face‐centered cubic (FCC) structure TiO₂ inverse opal was obtained. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was successfully immobilized on the surface of indium‐tin oxide (ITO) electrode modified by TiO₂ inverse opal (TiO_2(IO)). Electrochemical properties of GOx/TiO_2(IO)/ITO electrode were characterized by using the three electrodes system. The result of cyclic voltammetry showed that a couple of stable and well‐defined redox peaks for the direct electron transfer of GOx in absence of glucose, and the redox peak height enhanced in presence of 0.1 μM glucose. Compare with the ordinary structured GOx/TiO₂/ITO electrode, inverse opal structured GOx/TiO_2(IO)/ITO electrode has a better respond to the glucose concentration change. Under optimized experimental conditions of solution pH 6.8 and detection potential at 0.30 V versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE), amperometric measurements were performed. The sensitivity and the detection limit of glucose detection was 151 μA cm^?2 mM^?1 and 0.02 μM at a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3, respectively. The good response was due to the good biocompatibility of TiO₂ and the large effective surface of the three‐dimensionally ordered macroporous structure.     

Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis Behaviors of Glucose Oxidase Based on Hyaluronic Acid-Carbon Nanotubes-Ionic Liquid Composite Film

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were dispersed in the ionic liquid [BMIM][BF₄] to form a uniform black suspension. Based on it, a novel glucose oxidase (GOx)‐hyaluronic (HA)‐[BMIM][BF₄]‐MWNTs/GCE modified electrode was fabricated. UV‐vis spectroscopy confirmed that GOx immobilized in the composite film retained its native structure. The experimental results of EIS indicated MWNTs, [BMIM][BF₄] and HA were successfully immobilized on the surface of GCE and [BMIM][BF₄]‐MWNTs could obviously improve the diffusion of ferricyanide toward the electrode surface. The experimental results of CV showed that a pair of well‐defined and quasi‐reversible peaks of GOx at the modified electrode was exhibited, and the redox reaction of GOx at the modified electrode was surface‐confined and quasi‐reversible electrochemical process. The average surface coverage of GOx and the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant were 8.5×10⁻⁹ mol/cm² and 9.8 mmol/L, respectively. The cathodic peak current of GOx and the glucose concentration showed linear relationship in the range from 0.1 to 2.0 mmol/L with a detection limit of 0.03 mmol/L (S/N=3). As a result, the method presented here could be easily extended to immobilize and obtain the direct electrochemistry of other redox enzymes or proteins.     

Biomimetic Cascade Polymer Nanoreactors for Starvation and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

The selective disruption of nutritional supplements and the metabolic routes of cancer cells offer a promising opportunity for more efficient cancer therapeutics. Herein, a biomimetic cascade polymer nanoreactor (GOx/CAT-NC) was fabricated by encapsulating glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT) in a porphyrin polymer nanocapsule for combined starvation and photodynamic anticancer therapy. Internalized by cancer cells, the GOx/CAT-NCs facilitate microenvironmental oxidation by catalyzing endogenous H₂O₂ to form O₂, thereby accelerating intracellular glucose catabolism and enhancing cytotoxic singlet oxygen (¹O₂) production with infrared irradiation. The GOx/CAT-NCs have demonstrated synergistic advantages in long-term starvation therapy and powerful photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment, which inhibits tumor cells at more than twice the rate of starvation therapy alone. The biomimetic polymer nanoreactor will further contribute to the advancement of complementary modes of spatiotemporal control of cancer therapy.     

Glucose oxidase deoxygenation−redox initiation for RAFT polymerization in air

A new methodology based on glucose oxidase (GOx) deoxygenation and hydrogen peroxide/vitamin C (H₂O₂/Vc) redox initiation for conducting RAFT polymerization at low temperature in air is reported. GOx catalyzes reduction of oxygen in the presence of glucose to generate hydrogen peroxide, which is directly used to constitute a redox pair with Vc for the efficient generation of hydroxyl radicals to initiate RAFT polymerization in air. Various experimental parameters including temperature, stirring speed, prepolymerization incubation time, and concentrations of Vc, glucose, and GOx were evaluated with respect to monomer conversion, molecular weight, and dispersity. Efficient removal of oxygen is typically realized within 10 min before polymerization is initiated by addition of Vc, and high conversions are achieved within 5 h. Well‐defined homopolymers and block copolymers have been efficiently synthesized with high monomer conversions and low dispersities (< 1.2). Using this new methodology, it is possible to conduct controlled RAFT polymerizations in both open and sealed vessels, though lower conversions but less termination by oxygen are typically observed for the sealed systems. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 164–174     

Effect of Gold Nanoparticles on the Structure and Electron‐Transfer Characteristics of Glucose Oxidase Redox Polyelectrolyte‐Surfactant Complexes

Efficient electrical communication between redox proteins and electrodes is a critical issue in the operation and development of amperometric biosensors. The present study explores the advantages of a nanostructured redox‐active polyelectrolyte–surfactant complex containing [Os(bpy)₂Clpy]²⁺ (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine, py= pyridine) as the redox centers and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as nanodomains for boosting the electron‐transfer propagation throughout the assembled film in the presence of glucose oxidase (GOx). Film structure was characterized by grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), GOx incorporation was followed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz‐crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM‐D), whereas Raman spectroelectrochemistry and electrochemical studies confirmed the ability of the entrapped gold nanoparticles to enhance the electron‐transfer processes between the enzyme and the electrode surface. Our results show that nanocomposite films exhibit five‐fold increase in current response to glucose compared with analogous supramolecular AuNP‐free films. The introduction of colloidal gold promotes drastic mesostructural changes in the film, which in turn leads to a rigid, amorphous interfacial architecture where nanoparticles, redox centers, and GOx remain in close proximity, thus improving the electron‐transfer process.     

Carbon Cavity Microelectrode for Electrical Wiring of Enzyme by Insoluble Electroactive Species in Aqueous Media

The carbon cavity microelectrode (CME), exhibiting a volume of 4×10^?6 cm³, offers a genuine alternative for immobilizing and connecting enzymes in aqueous electrolytes by powder of insoluble redox materials. In the present work, the electrochemical behavior of two redox species such as ferrocene (Fc) and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) was investigated with CME to evaluate their potentialities in the electrical wiring of enzymes. For this purpose, powder of two enzymes, glucose oxidase (GOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was independently mixed with an insoluble redox material and forced to fill the single micro cavity of a carbon electrode covered by an inert insulator. The presence of the electroactive species, as well as the enzyme wiring was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The amperometric detection of glucose was carried out by potentiostating the TTF/GOx and the Fc/GOx microelectrodes at 0.25 and 0.35 V respectively. The amperometric detection of H₂O₂ by the TTF/HRP microelectrode was performed at ?0.1 V vs. SCE.     

Dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles on mesoporous silica for glucose detection

A hybrid system of mesoporous silica (MS) particle incorporated with poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-encapsulated platinum nanoparticles (Pt-DENs) was constructed in a neutral aqueous solution through electrostatic interaction. The MS/Pt-DENs composite particles immobilized with glucose oxidase (GOx) were used to modify a glassy carbon electrode for detecting the electrocatalytic response to the reduction of glucose. Pt-DENs can improve the conductivity of MS and enhance the electron transfer between redox centers in enzymes and electrode surfaces. The structure of composite particles and the performance of MS/Pt-DEN-modified electrodes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, N₂ sorption characterization method, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurements. The MS/Pt-DENs/GOx-modified electrodes, which had a fast response of GOx less than 3?s, could be used for the determination of glucose ranging from 0.02 to 10?mM. The detection limits were 4???M at signal-to-noise ratio of 3.     

Glucose Oxidase/Cellulose–Carbon Nanotube Composite Paper as a Biocompatible Bioelectrode for Biofuel Cells

Biofuel cells are devices for generating electrical energy directly from chemical energy of renewable biomass using biocatalysts such as enzymes. Efficient electrical communication between redox enzymes and electrodes is essential for enzymatic biofuel cells. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been recognized as ideal electrode materials because of their high electrical conductivity, large surface area, and inertness. Electrodes consisting entirely of CNTs, which are known as CNT paper, have high surface areas but are typically weak in mechanical strength. In this study, cellulose (CL)–CNT composite paper was fabricated as electrodes for enzymatic biofuel cells. This composite electrode was prepared by vacuum filtration of CNTs followed by reconstitution of cellulose dissolved in ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. Glucose oxidase (GOx), which is a redox enzyme capable of oxidizing glucose as a renewable fuel using oxygen, was immobilized on the CL–CNT composite paper. Cyclic voltammograms revealed that the GOx/CL–CNT paper electrode showed a pair of well-defined peaks, which agreed well with that of FAD/FADH_2, the redox center of GOx. This result clearly shows that the direct electron transfer (DET) between the GOx and the composite electrode was achieved. However, this DET was dependent on the type of CNTs. It was also found that the GOx immobilized on the composite electrode retained catalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose.     

Electrochemistry of Tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) inside a polymeric hydrogel. Coupled chemical reactions and migration effects

The retention, release, and detection of metallic complexes in polymeric hydrogels are of interest in drug delivery, analytical chemistry, and water remediation. The electrochemistry of the redox complexes inside the hydrogel could be affected by the viscoelastic properties of the gel, local ionic force and pH, and interactions (e.g., hydrophobic) between the complex and the polymer chains. In this work, it is shown that a simple setup, consisting of a disk electrode pressed on the hydrogel, allows to perform electrochemistry of a redox couple: Tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) (Fe(phen)₃ ²⁺) inside a hydrogel matrix. The behavior is compared with the same couple in solution, and it is found that the electrochemical properties of the redox couple are strongly affected by the presence of the hydrogel matrix. The cyclic voltammogram of the hydrogel loaded with complex shows a response, which suggests electrochemical-chemical mechanism. The chemical step is likely linked to a catalytic oxidation of free hydrated Fe²⁺ ions present inside the hydrogel together with the redox complex. Since Fe²⁺ ions have small charge transfer constants on the glassy carbon electrodes, only the catalytic current is observed. Indeed, when excess ligand (phenanthroline) is absorbed inside the hydrogel, the measured cyclic voltammograms show a single reversible oxidation/reduction step. It seems that the complexation equilibrium shifts toward the complex, making the free iron concentration negligible. Accordingly, the cyclic voltammetry shape and peak potential difference agree with a reversible oxidation/reduction. Additionally, the peak currents of the cyclic voltammograms show a linear dependence with the square root of time, as predicted by a Randles-Sevcik equation. However, the measured currents are smaller than the simulated ones. The differences are in agreement with simulations of the cyclic voltammograms where the migration of the redox species is considered. Chronoamperometry is used to measure the mass transport of redox species inside the hydrogel. It is found that the current transients still obey Cottrell’s equation, but the diffusion coefficients obtained from the slopes of Cottrell’s plots have to be corrected for migration effects. The effective diffusion coefficient of Fe(phen)₃ ²⁺ measured inside the hydrogel (D _Red-hydrogel = 5.5 (±0.5) × 10^?8 cm² s^?1) is ca. 80 times smaller than the one measured in solution (D _Red-solution = 4.4 (±0.5) × 10^?6 cm² s^?1). The simple setup has a true semi-infinite boundary condition, which allows characterizing the hydrogel in the same condition as the bulk material and easily changing both the redox species and the hydrogel structure.     

Direct electrochemistry and biocatalysis of glucose oxidase immobilized on magnetic mesoporous carbon

A magnetic mesoporous carbon material (i.e., mesoporous iron oxide/C, mesoFe/C) is synthesized for protein immobilization, using glucose oxidase (GOx) as model. Transmission electron microscopy images show that mesoFe/C has highly ordered porous structure with uniform pore size, and iron oxide nanoparticles are dispersed along the wall of carbon. After adsorption of GOx, the GOx-mesoFe/C composite is separated with magnet. The immobilized GOx remains its natural structure according to the reflection–absorption infrared spectra. When the GOx-mesoFe/C composite is coated on a Pt electrode surface, the GOx gives a couple of quasireversible voltammetric peaks at −0.5 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode) due to the redox of FAD/FADH₂. The electron-transfer rate constant (k _s) is ca. 0.49 s⁻¹. The modified electrode presents remarkably amperometric response to glucose at 0.6 V. The response time (t _95%) is less than 6 s; the response current is linear to glucose concentration in the range of 0.2–10 mM with a sensitivity of 27 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². The detection limit is 0.08 mM (S/N = 3). The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K _m^app) of the enzyme reaction is ca. 6.6 mM, indicating that the GOx immobilized with mesoFe/C has high affinity to the substrate.     

Direct electrochemical sensing of glucose using glucose oxidase immobilized on functionalized carbon nanotubes via a novel metal chelate-based affinity method

We report on a novel amperometric glassy carbon biosensing electrode for glucose. It is based on the immobilization of a highly sensitive glucose oxidase (GOx) by affinity interaction on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with iminodiacetic acid and metal chelates. The new technique for immobilization is exploiting the affinity of Co(II) ions to the histidine and cysteine moieties on the surface of GOx. The direct electrochemistry of immobilized GOx revealed that the functionalized CNTs greatly improve the direct electron transfer between GOx and the surface of the electrode to give a pair of well-defined and almost reversible redox peaks and undergoes fast heterogeneous electron transfer with a rate constant (k _s) of 0.59?s^?1. The GOx immobilized in this way fully retained its activity for the oxidation of glucose. The resulting biosensor is capable of detecting glucose at levels as low as 0.01?mM, and has excellent operational stability (with no decrease in the activity of enzyme over a 10?days period). The method of immobilizing GOx is easy and also provides a model technique for potential use with other redox enzymes and proteins.

3,4,9,10‐Perylenetetracarboxylic Acid/Hemin Nanocomposites Act as Redox Probes and Electrocatalysts for Constructing a Pseudobienzyme‐Channeling Amplified Electrochemical Aptasensor

A simple wet‐chemical strategy for the synthesis of 3,4,9,10‐perylenetetracarboxylic acid (PTCA)/hemin nanocomposites through π–π interactions is demonstrated. Significantly, the hemin successfully conciliates PTCA redox activity with a pair of well‐defined redox peaks and intrinsic peroxidase‐like activity, which provides potential application of the PTCA self‐derived redox activity as redox probes. Additionally, PTCA/hemin nanocomposites exhibit a good membrane‐forming property, which not only avoids the conventional fussy process for redox probe immobilization, but also reduces the participation of the membrane materials that act as a barrier of electron transfer. On the basis of these unique properties, a pseudobienzyme‐channeling amplified electrochemical aptasensor is developed that is coupled with glucose oxidase (GOx) for thrombin detection by using PTCA/hemin nanocomposites as redox probes and electrocatalysts. With the addition of glucose to the electrolytic cell, the GOx on the aptasensor surface bioelectrocatalyzed the reduction of glucose to produce H₂O₂, which in turn was electrocatalyzed by the PTCA/hemin nanocomposites. Cascade schemes, in which an enzyme is catalytically linked to another enzyme, can produce signal amplification and therefore increase the biosensor sensitivity. As a result, a linear relationship for thrombin from 0.005 to 20 nM and a detection limit of 0.001 nM were obtained.     

Biocatalytic reversible control of the stiffness of DNA-modified responsive hydrogels: applications in shape-memory,self-healing and autonomous controlled release of insulin

The enzymes glucose oxidase (GOx), acetylcholine esterase (AchE) and urease that drive biocatalytic transformations to alter pH, are integrated into pH-responsive DNA-based hydrogels. A two-enzyme-loaded hydrogel composed of GOx/urease or AchE/urease and a three-enzyme-loaded hydrogel composed of GOx/AchE/urease are presented. The biocatalytic transformations within the hydrogels lead to the dictated reconfiguration of nucleic acid bridges and the switchable control over the stiffness of the respective hydrogels. The switchable stiffness features are used to develop biocatalytically guided shape-memory and self-healing matrices. In addition, loading of GOx/insulin in a pH-responsive DNA-based hydrogel yields a glucose-triggered matrix for the controlled release of insulin, acting as an artificial pancreas. The release of insulin is controlled by the concentrations of glucose, hence, the biocatalytic insulin-loaded hydrogel provides an interesting sense-and-treat carrier for controlling diabetes.

Biocatalytic control over the stiffness of pH-responsive hydrogels is applied to develop shape-memory, self-healing and controlled release matrices.     

Electrochemistry and biosensing of glucose oxidase immobilized on Pt-dispersed mesoporous carbon

A method for immobilizing proteins in a carbon mesoporous material (CMM) containing platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) is demonstrated. Compared to pure CMM or carbon nanotubes, CMM containing Pt-NPs enhances the electron transfer and redox properties of redox enzymes, such as glucose oxidase (GOx), due to a cooperative effect of Pt-NPs and CMM. The quasi-reversible electron transfer of GOx in this system is probed, and the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants are found to be 66% larger than in pure CMM. The GOx/Pt-CMM based glucose biosensor enables the determination of glucose at a potential of 600 mV (vs. SCE). Its detection limit is 10 times lower, and the sensitivity is 16 times higher than that of the respective biosensor without Pt-NPs.     

固载于壳聚糖-纳米金复合膜修饰玻碳电极上的葡萄糖氧化酶的直接电化学研究及其生物传感应用

通过将葡萄糖氧化酶固载于壳聚糖-纳米金复合膜内所构置的传感器,实现了葡萄糖氧化酶的直接电化学,并采用循环伏安法与电化学阻抗法对修饰电极进行了表征。研究表明：在除氧缓冲溶液中,葡萄糖氧化酶-壳聚糖-纳米金复合膜修饰电极表现出一对良好的氧化还原峰,这对峰归因于葡萄糖氧化酶的氧化还原,证明葡萄糖氧化酶被成功固载于复合膜内。电子传递速率常数为15.6 s-1,说明葡萄糖氧化酶的电活性中心与电极之间的电子传递很快。将壳聚糖与纳米金相结合还提高了葡萄糖氧化酶在复合膜内的稳定性并保持其生物活性,并可以用于葡萄糖检测。计算得到其表观米氏常数为10.1 mmol·L-1。而且,该生物传感器可以用于血样中葡萄糖含量的测定。     

Glucose sensor based on redox-cycling between selectively modified and unmodified combs of carbon interdigitated array nanoelectrodes

We present a novel electrochemical glucose sensor employing an interdigitated array (IDA) of 1:1 aspect ratio carbon nanoelectrodes for the electrochemical-enzymatic redox cycling of redox species (ferricyanide/ferrocyanide) between glucose oxidase (GOx) and the two comb-shaped nanoelectrodes of the IDA. The carbon nanoelectrodes were fabricated using a simple, cost-effective, reproducible microfabrication technology known as the carbon-microelectromechanical-systems (C-MEMS) process. One comb (comb 1) of the IDA was selectively modified with GOx via the electrochemical reduction of an aryl diazonium salt, while the other comb (comb 2) remained unmodified; this facilitates electrochemically more active surface of comb 2, resulting in sensitive glucose detection. Ferricyanide is reduced to ferrocyanide by the GOx in the presence of glucose, and ferrocyanide diffuses to both combs of the IDA where it is oxidized. The limited electrochemical current collection at the surface-modified comb 1 is counterbalanced by the efficient redox cycling between the enzyme sites at comb 1 and the bare carbon surface of comb 2. Reducing the electrode-to-electrode gap between the two combs (gap = 1.9 μm) increases the diffusion flux of redox species at comb 2 hence, enhanced the sensitivity and limit of detection of the glucose sensor by ∼2.3 and ∼295 times, respectively at comb 2 compared to comb 1. The developed IDA-based glucose sensor demonstrated good amperometric response to glucose, affording two linear ranges from 0.001 to 1 mM and from 1 to 10 mM, with limits of detection of 0.4 and 61 μM and sensitivities of 823.2 and 70.0 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻², respectively.     

Evaluation of Enzymatic Kinetics of GOx‐based Electrodes by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy at Redox Competition Mode

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an enzyme, which is used for the development of enzymatic biofuel cells. Therefore in this research redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (RC‐SECM) was applied for the investigation of glucose oxidase (GOx) catalyzed reaction kinetics. The GOx was immobilized by glutaraldehyde on substrates of different electrical conductivity: (i) gold covered glass was used as conducting substrate and (ii) plastic poly(methyl methacrylate) was used as non‐conducting substrate. Current vs distance dependencies were registered by SECM at different concentrations of glucose in the absence of redox mediator. The potential of −750 mV vs Ag/AgCl(3 M KCl) was applied to the microelectrode (ME), which was used as a probe in SECM, in order to register oxygen reduction current. Consumption of oxygen by the GOx based layer was evaluated according to principles determined by Michaelis‐Menten kinetics. Apparent Michaelis constants K _{M (app.)} were calculated from the dependencies of current vs glucose concentration. In both these cases the K _{M (app.)} value increased when the distance between ME and enzyme modified surface was increasing from 10 to 30 μm, while the K _{M (app.)} value decreased by increasing the distance from 30 to 60 μm.     

Specificity of Glucose Oxidase from Penicillium funiculosum 46.1 Towards Some Redox Mediators

Glucose oxidase (GOx) from Penicillium funiculosum 46.1 was purified using step-by-step ultrafiltration and it was characterized by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric methods. It was shown that spectra of GOx produced by P. funiculosum are typical for flavoproteins. Absorption spectrum has distinct peaks at 380 and 457 nm, excitation spectrum at 373 and 447 nm, and emission spectrum at 530 and 562 nm. The pH correlation of enzyme activity and catalytic characteristics in various buffer systems (phosphate (pH 5.0–9.0), citrate (pH 3.0–5.0), citrate-phosphate (pH 3.0–9.0), and universal (pH 3.0–9.0)) were registered. It was determined that the GOx is the most efficiently interacting with substrate (glucose) in phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 with k _cat/K _m?=?21,825 M^?1 s^?1. Interaction of several different redox mediators (9,10-phenantroline-5,6-dione, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, N-methylphenazonium methyl sulfate, ferrocene, ferrocenecarboxylic acid, α-methylferrocenemethanol, ferrocenecarboxaldehyde) with GOx from P. funiculosum was investigated by evaluation of the difference in fluorescence emission intensity of FAD_(oxidized) and FADH_2(reduced) forms. It was found that 9,10-phenantroline-5,6-dione and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone are the best redox mediators for this type of GOx.

Direct Electrochemistry of Glucose Oxidase at Reduced Graphene Oxide and β‐Cyclodextrin Composite Modified Electrode and Application for Glucose Biosensing

A simple glucose biosensor has been developed based on direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and β‐cyclodextrin (CD) composite. A well‐defined redox couple of GOx appears with a formal potential of ～?0.459 V at RGO/CD composite. A heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (K_s) has been calculated for GOx at RGO/CD as 3.8 s^?1. The fabricated biosensor displays a wide response to glucose in the linear concentrations range from 50 µM to 3.0 mM. The sensitivity and limit of detection of the biosensor is estimated as 59.74 µA mM^?1 cm^?2 and 12 µM, respectively.     

Controlling size and stabilization of silver nanoparticles for use in optimized chitosan-dialdehyde xylan wound dressings

The size of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is the key factor that governs their antibacterial activity. However, the size of AgNPs is difficult to control because agglomeration and uneven dispersion often occur during the processing of AgNP-based products, which has impeded their applications in different areas. In this work, an efficient strategy was developed to overcome this difficulty and to prepare an antibacterial hydrogel comprising AgNPs and chitosan (CS) with dialdehyde xylan (DAX) as the crosslinking agent. The size of AgNPs was controlled successfully to an extremely fine level (<?9 nm) by reducing AgNO₃ solution in a methanolic suspension of the metal organic framework (MOF) -UiO-66-NH₂, and forming an Ag@UiO-66-NH₂ core–shell structure which avoided the agglomeration of AgNPs. DAX played a dual role by forming a hydrogel structure with CS through crosslinking, but also by stabilizing the even dispersion of Ag@UiO-66-NH₂ in the hydrogel. Accordingly, the as-prepared hydrogels showed excellent antibacterial properties and low cytotoxicity. The survival ratio of NIH/3T3 cells cultured in the hydrogel extract was more than 90%, even when the concentration of the hydrogel extract was as high as 10 mg/mL. In addition, the hydrogel exhibited good abilities of water absorption (swelling ratio was up to 1100%) and self-healing (efficiency was up to 88% after 5 h). The hydrogels with size-well-controlled AgNPs prepared in this work are expected to find broad applications, especially in the area of antibacterial medical auxiliaries.