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Supramolecular Biopolymeric Composite Materials: Green Synthesis, Characterization And Applications, Tamutsiwa Moven Mututuvari

Dissertations (1934 -)

Macrocycles, such as crown ethers (CRs) and resorcinarenes (RESs), exhibit selective complexation of heavy metal ions and organic pollutants respectively. Consequently, they have been investigated for their suitability in adsorbing these aqueous pollutants. However, they are difficult to handle and recycle for reuse because, by themselves, they can only be fabricated in powder form. To alleviate this challenge, we developed a method to encapsulate these macrocycles into film-forming polysaccharides--cellulose (CEL) and chitosan (CS). This was achieved by using a green and recyclable solvent, an ionic liquid, to dissolve both macrocycles and polysaccharides and regenerate corresponding composites in water. Resultant composites …