β-Cyclodextrin-epichlorohydrin polymer/graphene oxide nanocomposite: preparation and characterization

In this study, we report a novel and simple technique to synthesize water-insoluble nanocomposite macromolecule composed of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) polymer. These nanocomposites were synthesized by the one-pot precipitation polymerization process via polycondensation of β-CD with epichlorohydrin (ECH) in an aqueous suspension of GO under alkaline condition. The obtained β-CD polymer/GO (CDP-ECH/GO) were characterized by thermal gravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, high-resolution solid state 13C NMR, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy (both SEM and TEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Furthermore, the mechanism of CDP-ECH/GO nanocomposites formation is also discussed depending on the type of mixing device that has been used during polymerization. The swelling ratio of the nanocomposites as well as their absorption properties toward methylene blue (MB), phenol (PN), 1-naphtol (1-NPH) and 2-naphtol (2-NPH) have been determined. Increasing the GO content in the nanocomposites results in an increase of the adsorption capacity of the materials.