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Highly conductive nanocellulose–polyaniline nanocomposites for efficient heavy metal adsorption and regeneration


Citation

Abdullah, Nur Athirah and Rani, Mohd Saiful Asmal and Mohammad, Masita and Ramlee, Muhamad Fadhli and Ilyas, Rushdan Ahmad (2026) Highly conductive nanocellulose–polyaniline nanocomposites for efficient heavy metal adsorption and regeneration. Journal of Natural Fibers, 23 (1). art. no. 2628738. pp. 1-24. ISSN 1544-0478; eISSN: 1544-046X

Abstract

Polyaniline (PANI) is extensively researched for its conductivity and enhanced properties for multifunctional commercial applications, addressing heavy metal pollution. This work details the synthesis of nanocellulose/copper ions (NCs-Cu2+) doped PANI nanocomposites via in-situ polymerization which assesses the nanocomposites’ efficiency in heavy metal adsorption and their regenerability. NC extraction employs acid hydrolysis, while batch adsorption experiments consider parameters like pH, adsorbent dosage, Cu2+ concentration, and contact time. Nanocomposites are prepared using different ratios to compare conductivity (1:9, 2:8, 3:7) and characterized using XRD, FESEM, TEM, FTIR, and TGA. XRD reveals increased ordering with NC-Cu2+ concentration, indicating a highly ordered PANI structure in the presence of NC-Cu2+. FESEM shows morphological changes and homogenous nano dispersion. TEM depicts rod-like NC-Cu2+ PANI structures. FTIR demonstrates slight peak shifts during in-situ polymerization and TGA confirms its high thermal stability. Adsorption mechanisms are studied with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, showing good agreement between experimental and theoretical data. The conductivity of NC-Cu2+PANI ranges from 5.73 to 18.27 × 10 S/cm−1, significantly higher than pure PANI (3.53 × 10 S/cm−1), with a decrease in conductivity as the NC-Cu2+-to-PANI ratio increases. This research provides insights into the synthesis, properties, and applications of PANI-based nanocomposites for heavy metal removal.


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Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Subject: Materials Science (miscellaneous)
Divisions: Faculty of Science
Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2026.2628738
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Keywords: Conductivity; In situ polymerization; Nanocellulose; Polyaniline
Depositing User: MS. HADIZAH NORDIN
Date Deposited: 09 Mar 2026 03:54
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2026 03:54
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.1080/15440478.2026.2628738
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/123396
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