Biosynthesis of antibacterial peptide hydrogels/titania nanoparticles composites

Photo-antibacterial properties of TiO2NPs have attracted much interest. However, the problem of liquid-solid separation of their suspension is a limiting factor. In this study, we report on the encapsulation of TiO2NPs within self-assembling tripeptide (Fmoc-Phe3 ) hydrogel (hgel- TiO2NPs) as a scaffold to form a novel composite with significant photo-antibacterial properties. Two different concentrations of TiO2NPs were hired to investigate their effect on some hydrogel parameters such as swelling ability, mechanical strength, and antibacterial properties. It was shown that by increasing the concentration of TiO2NPs, the mechanical stability of the gel increases while the swelling ability obeys the reverse trend. In this paper, the effect of ultrasound waves on the above composite parameters was also studied.