Synthesis via Sol-Gel process of Hybrids materials: Biological and chemical characterization

This study aims to synthesize, via the Sol-Gel method, a biomaterial useful as a medical device. The failure of medical devices such as bones prosthesis is mainly due to inflammatory and infection phenomena, that could be avoided by entrapping antioxidant drugs in the matrix of the biomaterial. In this context, the Silica-PEG-quercetin hybrid systems with different weight percentages of PEG (0, 6, 12, 24, 50 wt%) and quercetin (0, 5, 10, 15 wt%), respectively, were synthesized and characterized. The physicochemical properties were assessed by Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), whereas the antibacterial properties were studied by Kirby–Bauer test against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) strains. FT-IR analysis detected the formation of the hybrid materials by H-bonds and the SEM images confirmed a good homogenization of the materials enclosed in the prepared composites. Independently from the composition, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are inhibited.