Hydrogel networks based on N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and sodium acrylate (SA) were prepared by redox-polymerization in the presence of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). Highly stable and uniformly distributed silver nanoparticles have been prepared using these hydrogel networks as a carrier via in situ reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. It has been demonstrated that the hydrogel hybrid with different sizes of silver nanoparticles can be effectively employed as antibacterial material. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.