Title:	Structural and antimicrobial properties of alginate and chitosan films with silver nanoparticles.
Authors:	VAZ, G. M. da R. PINELLI, J. J. BONATTO, C. C. SILVA, L. P. da
Affiliation:	GABRIELA MENDES DA ROCHA VAZ, UNIVERSITY OF BRASILIA; JULIANA JUNQUEIRA PINELLI; CÍNTHIA CAETANO BONATTO; LUCIANO PAULINO DA SILVA, CENARGEN.
Date Issued:	2026
Citation:	Surfaces, v. 9, 25, 2026.
Description:	This study investigates the development and characterization of bioactive films incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into biocompatible polymers, namely alginate and chitosan, fabricated using two methods, spin-coating and drop-casting, and aiming to enhance their antimicrobial properties. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic mobility (EM) of the film precursor solutions revealed significant changes in the nanoparticles’ size and Zeta potential (ZP), reflecting the influence of polymer coatings. Alginate contributed to high electrostatic stability due to its negative charge, while chitosan facilitated specific interactions with negatively charged surfaces. Raman spectroscopy revealed that spin-coating conditions did not successfully result in film formation, highlighting the need for further optimization. Therefore, subsequent characterization studies were conducted only for the films formed by drop-casting. Topographical and nanomechanical assessments of these drop-cast films, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and force spectroscopy, demonstrated that AgNPs reduced adhesion and elasticity in alginate films, while increasing rigidity and adhesion in chitosan-based films. Antimicrobial tests confirmed the efficacy of AgNPs in both precursor solutions and polymer films, with chitosan-based films that retained structural integrity, which makes them suitable for prolonged applications, while alginate films displayed rapid gelation upon hydration, potentially advantageous in short-term applications. The findings underscore the potential of these biopolymer-AgNP composites in creating antimicrobial materials for food packaging, wound dressings, and other biomedical applications. However, challenges related to film deposition methods, such as spin-coating, require further optimization to improve film formation and reproducibility.
NAL Thesaurus:	Raman spectroscopy Atomic force microscopy
Keywords:	AgNPs Drop-casting Green synthesis Antibacterial film
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces9010025
Notes:	Na publicação: Luciano Paulino Silva.
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CENARGEN)