Investigation of physical and biological properties of polypyrrole nanotubes–chitosan nanocomposites

Abstract Polypyrrole nanotubes–chitosan (PPy-NTs:chitosan) nanocomposite films have been synthesized with varying concentration of polypyrrole nanotubes (PPy-NTs) and their physical and biological properties have been investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs exhibit the increase in surface roughness of the nanocomposite films with increasing concentration of PPy-NTs. Enhancement in hydrophilicity of the nanocomposite films has been observed after surface functionalization with glutaraldehyde which is attributed to increase in surface energy due to the incorporation of polar groups on the films surface. The increasing amount of PPy-NTs in the nanocomposite leads to an increase in haemolysis activity, while the treatment with glutaraldehyde results in the decrease in haemolysis activity giving rise to higher biocompatibility. Urease immobilization in glutaraldehyde treated films exhibits higher enzymatic activity as compared to that of the untreated films, which is attributed to the enhancement in hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of the PPy-NTs:chitosan nanocomposites after functionalization with glutaraldehyde.