Flexible sodium alginate-gelatin hydrogel membrane incorporated with green synthesized bimetallic ZnO:CeO2 nanocomposite for antioxidant, antibacterial and biocompatibility studies

In recent years, natural polymers including sodium alginate and gelatin have attained huge attention because of their potential applications in wound healing. In this study, sodium alginate and gelatin (SA-GE) composite hydrogel membranes were incorporated with Moringa oleifera leaf extract mediated green synthesized bimetallic zinc oxide:cerium oxide nanocomposite (ZnO:CeO₂ NCs) to improve the antioxidant, antibacterial and biocompatibility of the hydrogel. Furthermore, bimetallic ZnO:CeO₂ NCs were incorporated into SA-GE hydrogel membranes with varying concentrations such as 1 % (SA-GE@I), 2.5 % (SA-GE@II) and 5 % (SA-GE@III). The SA-GE hydrogel membranes were fabricated by the Freeze-gelation method. Green synthesized ZnO:CeO₂ NCs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-rays (EDX). The prepared SA-GE, SA-GE@I, SA-GE@II and SA-GE@III hydrogel membranes structural analysis was done by SEM, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), swelling and degradation studies. Universal testing Machine (UTM) was used to evaluate the impact of ZnO:CeO₂ NCs on tensile strength, elongation (%) and Young's modulus of SA-GE hydrogel membrane. Furthermore, DPPH assay and disk diffusion methods were followed to evaluate the antioxidant potential and antibacterial activity of SA-GE, SA-GE@I, SA-GE@II and SA-GE@III. Then, the biocompatibility of SA-GE and influence of green synthesized ZnO:CeO₂ NCs on SA-GE biocompatibility was evaluated againt NIH-3T3 cell lines by following alamar blue assay.