Synthesis and characterization of new microgel from tris(2-aminoethyl)amine and glycerol diglycidyl ether as poly(TAEA-co-GDE).

Here, we report a new microgel preparation from tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) and glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE) as p(TAEA-co-GDE) via simple microemulsion polymerization/crosslinking by using L-α lecithin as surfactant and gasoline as organic phase. The p(TAEA-co-GDE) microgels were visualized using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with size ranges <10 μm. The prepared particles were found to be positively charged, 23.61 ± 1.2 mV at pH~4.5, according to zeta-potential measurements, and the charge of particles decreased with increase in pH of the medium and become negatively charged after pH 10. The microgel particles were protonated (quaternized) or deprotanated by HCl and NaOH treatments, changing their zeta potential to 33 ± 1.3 mV and 14.53 ± 1.8 mV, respectively. Thermal properties of the prepared particles were observed by TG analysis before and after quaternization, and also after Co(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal ion absorption. Here, we also demonstrated in situ CdS quantum dot (Q-dots) preparation within p(TAEA-co-GDE) microgels. The peak energy of 2.5 eV was observed in the fluorescence spectrum of p(TAEA-co-GDE)-CdS microgel by applying an excitation wavelength of 300 nm. Furthermore, the prepared p(TAEA-co-GDE) particles showed antibacterial characteristics against common bacteria such as Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and have great potential for biomedical use. Additionally, p(TAEA-co-GDE) particles are found to be biocompatible against L929 Fibroblast cells.