| Abstract: | In this work, the preparation and characterization of a novel multifunctional collagen–chitosan material containing silver nanoparticles and nonsteroid anti‐inflammatory drug ibuprofen is described. As a starting material, the commercially available collagen–chitosan scaffold was used. Drug‐loading procedure was performed via supercritical CO2‐assisted impregnation technique. Silver nanoparticles were prepared via metal vapor synthesis and introduced into the composite biopolymer matrix. An analysis of the small‐angle X‐ray scattering profiles revealed that silver nanoparticles are characterized by having a logarithmic normal size distribution with the maximum at 25 nm. The average size of particles determined from the broadening of diffraction peaks is in a good agreement with this result. The surface of the materials was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The in vitro release kinetics of ibuprofen in phosphate buffer solution with pH = 7.4 from prepared materials was studied. The drug release to solution is governed by Fickian diffusion and can be described within the Ritger–Peppas model. Introduction of silver nanoparticles has no effect on the diffusion mechanism. The as‐prepared materials are promising for the medical applications such as dressings for treatments of infected wounds and infection preventing. These materials can act as a matrix for transdermal drug administration. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:2479–2487, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers |
