Chitosan-Silver PolyHIPE Nanocomposites as Sustainable Bactericidal Filters.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are effective templates for creating macroporous materials.
• Chitosan (CS) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) possess inherent antimicrobial properties.
• Developing efficient and sustainable water purification systems is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate chitosan-silver macroporous nanocomposites (polyHIPE NCs) using HIPEs as templates.
• To investigate the influence of AgNPs loading and surfactant concentration on material properties and bactericidal performance.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the developed nanocomposites as bactericidal filters for water treatment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of CS-silver polyHIPE NCs via in situ synthesis of AgNPs and cross-linking of CS.
• Characterization of pore architecture, cross-linking degree, and swelling behavior.
• Assessment of bactericidal performance against Escherichia coli and silver leaching.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized CS-silver polyHIPE NCs with a 3D interconnected macroporous structure.
• Optimized material demonstrated high cross-linking degree (>86%) and controlled swelling.
• Achieved high bacterial removal efficiency (∼99.2%) with negligible silver leaching (<3.0 × 10^-4 mg L^-1).

Conclusions:

• CS-silver polyHIPE NCs offer an effective and sustainable platform for bactericidal filtration.
• The hierarchical porosity and accessible bactericidal surfaces contribute to efficient water purification.
• The chitosan matrix suggests potential biodegradability for environmentally compatible applications.