Towards Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of Smart Material Based on Chitosan Using Mn-IV Itaconic Acid as a Novel Redox Pair

The precipitation technique of Mn-IV/itaconic acid redox pair was chosen for grafting meth acrylic acid onto chitosan. This was done to maximize the graft yield and minimize the homopolymer formation to lower extent in addition to prepare water soluble chitosan instead of non-eco friendly acid soluble one. Evidence of grafting was confirmed instrumentally by (FTIR, SEM, and TGA), titrimetrically using carboxyl content and gravimetrically using dry weight method. The mechanism of grafting and factors affected grafting reaction were studied in details, and the optimum reaction conditions were obtained at [chitosan] 2 g, [MnO2] 25.9 mmol/100 g sample, [itaconic acid],100 mmol/L, [MAA] 50% bows,[liquor ratio], 25, reaction time, 2 h, and [reaction temperature], 65 °C. It is also seen from the obtained results that, the resultant copolymer showed the following findings: (a) only nitric acid solutions are proved to be a superior solvent for the grafted product; (b) superabsorbent towards water (197 g H2O/g polymer) and saline absorbency (60 g saline solution/g polymer) after cross-linked with epichlorohydrin, (c) higher water solubility (21%) at 48% graft yield and (d) 73.5% copper ion removal in comparison with 41% for chitosan.