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A multifunctional self-crosslinked chitosan/cationic guar gum composite hydrogel and its versatile uses in phosphate-containing water treatment and energy storage.
Dai, L, Wang, Y, Li, Z, Wang, X, Duan, C, Zhao, W, Xiong, C, Nie, S, Xu, Y, Ni, Y
Carbohydrate polymers. 2020;:116472
Abstract
A new self-crosslinked composite hydrogel is prepared with chitosan (CS) and cationic guar gum (CGG), based on the imine and acetal chemistry for gelation. The CS/CGG hydrogel exhibits thermal/pH responsiveness, injectability, adhesiveness and good compressive strength. The hydrogel is effective in removing phosphate from wastewater through an adsorption process, during which KH2PO4 is used as a phosphate model. The adsorption complies with the Freundlich model, indicating that it is a multilayered process with complex adsorption mechanisms. Considering their porous structure and nitrogen/phosphorus heteroatoms doping, the phosphate-adsorbed hydrogels are made into porous N,P doped carbon aerogels that can be potentially used as electrodes for a supercapacitor. The results indicate that these carbon aerogels possess excellent capacitive performance (best specific capacitance of 302.2 ± 4.9 F/g), as well as good cycling stability after 5000 times of charging/discharging.