"Click" on SAP: Superabsorbent polymer surface modification via CuAAC reaction toward antibacterial activity and improved swollen gel strength

Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) hydrogel was synthesized and surface-modified by a "click" reaction approach to enhance the mechanical and antibacterial properties of the gel. Thus, a two-step post-treatment strategy was tuned based on solvent-induced volume phase transition and Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The processes and products were investigated by ATR-FTIR, oscillatory rheometry, SEM-EDX, XPS as well as swelling capacity and antibacterial activities. The 1,2,3-triazole formation was confirmed spectrally. The swollen gel storage modulus was significantly improved. The Cu-extracted modified SAPs represented the antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. This process is an advanced promising approach to improve and tune the properties of the microgels especially for biomedical applications.