Chitosan reinforced with modified CaCO3 nanoparticles to enhance thermal, hydrophobicity properties and removal of cu(II) and cd(II) ions

The role of nanoparticles (NPs) in the enhancement of thermal, wettability and adsorption properties of chitosan (CS) was inspired by loading of CaCO3 modified with diacid (DA) based on L-phenyl aniline (2-8 wt%) within the CS by ultrasound agitation. The diameter of CaCO3-DA into the CS extended from 40 to 70 nm. A thermal test on the CS/CaCO(3)DA nanocomposite (NC) 2 wt% revealed that T5 (temperature with 5% weight loss) was increased up to 312 degrees C, which is twice the value of the pure polymer. The wettability property of the CS/CaCO3-DA NCs was transformed from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity as the CaCO3-DA NPs concentration was increased. It is due to decrease of the accessibility of the CS polar groups to water. The CS/CaCO3-DA NC 5 wt% was selected as the adsorbent for uptake of metal ions from the wastewater. It showed maximum adsorption capacity of 21.74 and 29.41 mg.g(-1) for Cu(II) and Cd(II), respectively. These are attributed to strong complexation reaction between the metal ions and functional groups in the obtained NC.