Synthesis of highly stable and dispersed silver nanoparticles/poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene glycol)/poly(3-aminophenyl boronic acid) nanocomposite: Characterization and antibacterial, hemolytic and cytotoxicity studies

A highly stable and dispersed aqueous nanocomposite of silver nanoparticles/poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene glycol)/poly(3-aminophenyl boronic acid) (Ag/(PVA-PEG)/PABA) was synthesized. PVA and PEG was blended at the optimum volume ratio of 16:4 to obtain poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene glycol) (PVA-PEG) blend. 3-Aminophenyl boronic acid served as the reductant of silver nitrate and was in situ oxidatively polymerized to obtain poly(3-aminophenyl boronic acid) (PABA). Subsequently, (PVA-PEG) blend served as matrix for PABA polymerization. The polymer blend helped to improve PABA solubility by providing platform for PABA anchoring, through covalent bonding with the free hydroxyl groups of the blend. Additionally, PABA is a highly conducting polymer, hence the synthesized nanocomposite demonstrated improved conductivity. The maximum absorption peak of Ag/(PVA-PEG)/PABA was at 422 nm, with particle sizes between 10 and 15 nm and zeta potential value of 25.8 mV. FESEM showed spherical AgNPs sprinkled on the surface of the nanocomposite while 40% Ag was presented in EDX result. The Ag/(PVA-PEG)/PABA exhibited good antibacterial potency against Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli where the ruptured bacterial cell was observed on FESEM. Importantly, it showed reliable biocompatibility without imparting deleterious red blood cell hemolysis and non-cytotoxic to normal human cell line. Overall, these results emphasized the exciting biomedical potentials of Ag/(PVA-PEG)/PABA nanocomposite.