Gold nanoparticle-embedded cellulose acetate: structural, optical, mechanical, and cytotoxicity assessment

Abstract

The development of composites with embedded gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and biopolymeric matrices, such as cellulose acetate (CA), has gained significant attention due to their unique synergistic properties, including enhanced mechanical, physical, and thermal characteristics. In this study, a composite material consisting of Au NPs embedded in a CA matrix was prepared and thoroughly characterized and its cytotoxicity evaluated for potential medical applications such as drug delivery, biosensing, and imaging. The composite was prepared using a newly developed in situ method, ensuring mostly uniform dispersion of Au NPs within the CA matrix. Various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and cell viability assay were employed to evaluate the structural, mechanical, thermal and biocompatibility properties of the as-prepared composite. The obtained results indicate that even a miniscule content of Au NPs (<0.14 wt%) within the CA matrix can significantly change the properties of such composites. The produced materials are compact, flexible, strong, and exhibit low cytotoxicity, making them suitable for a wide range of potential applications.