Stimuli‐Responsive Polymeric Hydrogel‐Copper Nanocomposite Material for Biomedical Application and Its Alternative Application to Catalytic Field

Abstract Naturally occurring non‐toxic, biocompatible chitosan based hydrogel nanocomposite with copper nanoparticle was synthesized via in‐situ free radical polymerization using chitosan (CS) as substrate, acrylamide (Am) as monomer, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), ammonium persulphate as an initiator and glutaraldehyde as a cross‐linking agent. The synthesized CS‐PAm‐CuNPs hydrogel nanocomposite was characterized by rheology studies, HRSEM & FT‐IR spectroscopy. It shows excellent swelling up to 300% in wide range of pH of 3–9 with good mechanical strength (exhibit 1380% stain value). Further, synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite was found to be a multi‐responsive due biomedical application and alternative application to catalytic field. The synthesized hydrogel‐nanocomposite showed 96% release of highly water soluble levofloxacin antibiotic drug in blood serum in controlled manner up to 30 h and its catalytic activity (90%). Successful reduction of 4‐nitrophenol into 4‐aminophenol in presence of hydrogel nanocomposite confirms its Catalytic property. This hydrogel nanocomposite catalyst was found to be ecofriendly and it can be reused after washing it with distilled water.