Facile fabrication of moldable antibacterial carboxymethyl chitosan supramolecular hydrogels cross-linked by metal ions complexation

Herein, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) supramolecular hydrogels cross-linked by metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+ and Zn2+) are reported. The hydrogels were formed within a few seconds by simple mixing of CMCh solution with metallic salt solutions at an appropriate pH. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and rotational rheometery. FT-IR measurements suggested that the facile complexation of metal ions with carboxylic, amino and...