Experimental determination of the mechanical and hydrolytic properties of chitosan/rice husk ash composite membranes

Haleematu Sadiya Bindir; Ridwan A Ahmed; Abdulhakeem Bello; Samuel Eshorame Sanni; Peter Ngene; Omobosede O Fashedemi; Seyi Festus Olatoyinbo; Olufemi Agboola; Azikiwe Peter Onwualu

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138390

Experimental determination of the mechanical and hydrolytic properties of chitosan/rice husk ash composite membranes

Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Dec 4:286:138390. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138390. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Haleematu Sadiya Bindir¹, Ridwan A Ahmed², Abdulhakeem Bello³, Samuel Eshorame Sanni⁴, Peter Ngene⁵, Omobosede O Fashedemi⁶, Seyi Festus Olatoyinbo⁷, Olufemi Agboola⁸, Azikiwe Peter Onwualu⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria; Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Space Science & Engineering, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Theoretical and Applied Physics, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State P.M.B 1023, Nigeria; Covenant University Center for Research, Innovation and Discovery, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State P.M.B 1023, Nigeria; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Parul University, P.O. Limda, Ta. Waghodia, 391760 Dist. Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria; Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht 3584 CG, the Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, RAD Building, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Space Science & Engineering, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Space Science & Engineering, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja FCT 900107, Nigeria. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39643180
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138390

Abstract

Chitosan-based membranes are promising alternatives to synthetic membranes in a number of specialized use cases, including water purification and electrochemical devices. In application, excessive swelling when hydrated can lead to poor mechanical integrity, necessitating modifications to the polymer so as to counter this effect. Embedding inorganic fillers within an organic polymer matrix is one method of combining excellent mechanical stability with good performance. This study investigated the effect of rice husk ash (RHA) on the mechanical and hydrolytic properties of chitosan-based composite membranes. We incorporated varying amounts of RHA into a chitosan solution and prepared thin film membranes via solution casting. We performed structural, chemical, and mechanical characterizations on the ash and membranes, observing 82.84 % water uptake in the 1.5 weight percent (wt%) RHA-doped membrane and 13.93 MPa tensile strength in the 2.0 wt% loaded composite. As the RHA content increased, the swelling ratio of the composites with RHA loadings greater than 1.0 wt% decreased, indicating an enhancement in mechanical strength. The observed results demonstrate that combining improved mechanical strength with increased water absorption and reduced swelling can lead to optimal membrane characteristics.

Keywords: Bio-filler composite; Chitosan polymer; Membrane swelling; Mixed matrix membrane; Water uptake.