Metal ion biosorption on chitosan for the synthesis of advanced materials

Chitosan is an aminopolysaccharide that binds metal ions through different mechanisms such as ion exchange, chelation or formation of ternary complex. The sorption performance depends on the characteristics of the solution (pH, presence of ligands, metal speciation) and the properties of the biopolymer (crystallinity, degree of deacetylation, molecular weight). Sorption performance is also controlled by the accessibility and availability of reactive groups (diffusion properties). These interactions chitosan/metal ions can be used for environmental applications (recovery of toxic or valuable metals) but also for the synthesis of new materials. Hybrid materials (chitosan/metal ion composites) can thus be used for manufacturing new sorbents with improved functionalities, supported catalysts, antimicrobial supports and sensors. The physical versatility of the biopolymer is an important criterion for designing these new materials: The conditioning of the material under the form of hydrogel beads, membranes, fibers and hollow fibers, foams and sponges enhances sorption performance and allows developing new applications.