Agarose-silver particles films: Effect of calcium ascorbate in nanoparticles synthesis and film properties.

New nanoparticles containing biomaterials are emerging as versatile active platforms in a great number of applications, for example, as skin substitutes and therapeutic media. The present study describes the preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) embedded in agarose films and the impact of calcium ascorbate in the formation of ANPs as well as in the final properties of the films. Colloidal AgNPs were synthetized by two chemical reduction routes: (i) applying calcium ascorbate and NaBH and (ii) applying only NaBH.