Recyclable polysaccharide/stimuli-responsive polymer composites and their applications in water remediation

The use of composites of stimuli-responsive polymers with polysaccharides during water remediation has gained impetus in recent years. The applications of composites of polysaccharides (chitosan, cellulose and cyclodextrin) with stimuli-responsive polymers (CO₂-, thermo-, light-, and pH-responsive polymers) were reviewed in this paper. These smart composites have tuneable physicochemical properties that enable them to form tailor-made adsorbents for the adsorption of pollutants from water. Adsorption and desorption of pollutants can be switched on and off by adjusting appropriate stimuli without the use of toxic organic solvents. The polysaccharide/stimuli-responsive polymer-based adsorbents, therefore, can be easily recovered during water remediation by adjusting the stimuli, and this makes them to be eco-friendly and recyclable. These attributes of the polysaccharide/stimuli-responsive polymer-based composites were explored in detail in this review. In addition, the challenges associated with the use of these smart composites as well as their future prospects were also articulated in this paper.