Synthesis, characterization, BSA adsorption and antifouling studies of N-cyclohexylacrylamide based hydrogels

Because of their biocompatibility and non-toxic qualities, hydrogels are popular biomaterials with a wide range of uses in engineering and medicine. Water or biological fluid can be absorbed by hydrogels, which are hydrophilic substances. Polymer crosslinking is a method for creating hydrogels. These hydrogels leverage unique properties derived from their polysaccharide composition, which enhances biocompatibility and biodegradability, making them suitable for a variety of therapeutic formulations. N -Cyclohexylacrylamide based hydrogels were synthesized and thoroughly characterized to assess their physicochemical and morphological features. Testing for BSA adsorption, biofilm formation, biofouling were performed on the hydrogels that were synthesized. The best rate of BSA adsorption i.e. 132.8 mg/g, was seen in the poly(NCA-co-AM/NIPAM) hydrogel. In order to confirm BSA adsorption, XRD, SEM and TGA analyses were performed. The XRD pattern of the hydrogels did not have any prominent peaks, as demonstrated by the analysis, suggesting that they are amorphous. The TGA curve showed changes in the decomposition temperature after BSA adsorption. After BSA adsorption, the residual weight for HG7, HG19, and HG43 remained at 17.8 %, 20.1 %, and 14.13 percent, respectively, whereas at 700 °C it was 15.9 %, 8.6 %, and 6.7 %. The synthesized hydrogels were to screen their biofilm inhibition activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an invitro setting. The hydrogels’ anionic nature also enhanced biofilm prevention capacity. To prove the biofilm inhibition efficacy, MTP assay was carried out and the IC 50 values for poly(NCA-co-AM/MA), poly(NCA-co-AM/NIPAM), poly(NCA-co-AM/Ac) and poly(NCA-co-AM/AMPSNA) hydrogels against S. aureus were calculated as 28.13 μg/mL, 37.99 μg/mL, 28.68 μg/mL and 27.93 μg/mL and against P.aureginosa were 35.89 μg/mL, 39.67 μg/mL, 37.95 μg/mL and 31.48 μg/mL respectively. Antibiofouling characteristics when tested in vitro against the marine alga Ulva Lactuca yielded the % inhibition of 64.14 for poly(NCA-co-AM/MA), 46.07 for (NCA-co-AM/NIPAM), 56.24 for poly(NCA-co-AM/Ac) and 66.67 for poly(NCA-co-AM/AMPSNA hydrogels.