# AuNP-Containing Hydrogels Based on Arabinogalactan and κ-Carrageenan with Antiradical Activity

## TL;DR

This paper describes the creation of hydrogels containing gold nanoparticles with antiradical properties, using natural polysaccharides.

## Contribution

The novel use of arabinogalactan to stabilize gold nanoparticles in hydrogels and their antiradical activity is demonstrated for the first time.

## Key findings

- Hydrogels with AuNP content ranging from 0.3 to 7.8% were successfully synthesized.
- The antiradical properties of the nanocomposites were confirmed using the activated chemiluminescence method.
- Hydrogel properties like moisture retention and elasticity were influenced by the Ar-Gal-AuNPs/κCG ratio and Ca2+ ions.

## Abstract

The synthesis and the antiradical activity of composite hydrogels based on arabinogalactan-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and κ-carrageenan (κCG) were examined. It was found that the reducing and stabilizing properties of arabinogalactan (Ar-Gal) could be used to obtain hybrid composites. The AuNP content of the composites ranged from 0.3 to 7.8%, with an average particle size of 5.3–14.0 nm. The antiradical properties of these nanocomposites were demonstrated for the first time using the activated chemiluminescence method. The combination of the synthesized Ar-Gal-AuNPs composite and the natural gel-forming polysaccharide κCG at different ratios enabled a variety of composite hydrogels with different rheological and structural-mechanical properties to be produced. The effect of the Ar-Gal-AuNPs/κCG ratio and the presence of Ca2+ ions on the moisture-retaining ability, swelling properties and elastic modulus of the obtained hydrogels was investigated.