Title
Composite microspheres based on chitosan and poly(vynil amine) and their sorption capacity for Cu2+
Authors
ANA IRINA COCARTA and ECATERINA STELA DRAGAN

Received September 17, 2013
Published Volume 48 Issue 5-6 May-June
Keywords chitosan, poly(vinyl amine), composite, copper

Abstract
In this study, new composites, based on chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm), were obtained. The composites have been prepared as beads by ionic/covalent cross-linking. Two strategies were used for the covalent cross-linking: post cross-linking, where the cross-linking agent was added after the bead formation and in situ cross-linking, where the covalent cross-linking was performed in tandem with the ionotrop gelation. The influence of the cross-linking strategy on the swelling ratio, SR, has been first evaluated, and it was observed that the beads prepared by the second strategy had a higher SR than those prepared by the first strategy. An enhancement of the sorption capacity of CS/PVAm composites for Cu2+ ions was found, when the beads were cross-linked in situ. The reusability of the composite beads has been also tested and it was found that the sorption capacity for Cu2+ increased in the 2nd cycle of sorption.