I am currently working on the synthesis of chitosan-copper nanocomposite for environmental remediation. I attempted to disperse the nanocomposite in distilled water and some buffers; while the composite is soluble in an acidic environment, it loses its nature and functionality there. To disperse the chitosan-copper nanocomposite, could you kindly provide any viable technique or solvent?
Thank you
If the nanocomposite is dried and you are trying to disperse it, it is no longer a nanocomposite.
As you mentioned, chitosan-copper nanocomposites are soluble in an acidic environment. You can try adjusting the pH of the solution to be slightly acidic to improve the dispersibility of the nanocomposite
Moreover, Chitosan-copper nanocomposites are typically insoluble in organic solvents, but they can be dispersed in polar aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). You can try dispersing the nanocomposite in DMF or DMSO and then adding the solution to distilled water or buffer solution.
Hi,
what is the source of your copper nanoparticles? If you have a powder, the nanoparticles are aggregated and must be dispersed. Try ultrasonication with a high-energy probe. Sina Rezaei has already mentioned the relevant solvents. Mind that the choice of the solvent/pH determines the dispersion stability, re-aggregation is a common issue. You can read more about that in our studies:
Article Phase diagram of bare particles in polymer nanocomposites: U...
Article Thermodynamic Parameters Controlling Nanoparticle Spatial Pa...
Article Bulk Polymer Nanocomposites with Preparation Protocol Govern...
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