Gamma Radiation Synthesis and Characterization of Starch Based Polyelectrolyte Hydrogels Loaded Silver Nanoparticles

Starch based polyelectrolyte hydrogels are composed of combination of starch with N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), acrylamide (AAm) and acrylic acid (AAc). The Starch based polyelectrolyte hydrogels were successfully synthesized by using gamma radiation polymerization technique. Silver nanopaticles were formed by reduction of silver nitrate in the hydrogels with sodium borohydride under room temperature. The formation of silver nanoparticles in hydrogels were well characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), UV–Visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction studies transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of silver nanoparticles in the range of 38.86, 41.44 and 47.07 nm for P(Starch/NVP)-Ag, P(Starch/AAm)-Ag and P(Starch/AAc)-Ag nanoparticles hydrogels, respectively. The TEM images supported the mean size particle of 35.81, 39.29 and 40.45 nm for P(Starch/NVP)-Ag, P(Starch/AAm)-Ag and P(Starch/AAc)-Ag, respectively. The SEM images indicated clearly the formation of silver nanoparticles with spherical shape within the network of the hydrogels.