Nanoporous furfuryl-imine-chitosan fibers as a new pathway towards eco-materials for CO2 adsorption. (November 2019) - Marin, Luminita
Graphical abstract: Highlights: Chitosan fibers were prepared by electrospinning. They were functionalized by imination reaction with furfural. The as prepared furfuryl-imine-chitosan fibers showed nanoporous morphology. They revealed high adsorption capacity for CO2 . Abstract: The goal of the paper was to design a new pathway towards eco-materials suitable for CO2 capture, by functionalization of nanoporous chitosan fibers with monoaldehydes via imination. To this end, nanoporous chitosan fibers were prepared by electrospinning and further reacted with furfural. Their morphology was investigated by SEM and AFM microscopies and revealed the formation of a network of nanoporous submicrometric fibers. The successful imination was proved by FTIR, XPS, and NMR spectroscopies. As a proof of concept, the CO2 adsorption isotherms displayed enhanced CO2 adsorption of the furfuryl-imine-chitosan fibers compared to pristine ones, indicating the imination of porous chitosan fibers as a feasible method to new eco-materials for CO2 adsorption.