Fabrication of interpenetrating polymer network chitosan/gelatin porous materials and study on dye adsorption properties

One kind of adsorbent based on chitosan and gelatin with interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) and porous dual structures was prepared using genipin as the cross-linker. These dual structures were demonstrated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adsorptions of acid orange II dye from aqueous solution were carried out at different genipin contents, adsorption times and pH values. The results showed that this material was put up the largest adsorption capacity when the genipin content is 0.25 mmol/L, meanwhile, the lower the solution pH value the greater the adsorption capacity. The chitosan/gelatin interpenetrating polymer networks porous material displayed pH-sensitive and rapidly response in adsorption and desorption to pH altered. It is indicated that the cross-linked chitosan/gelatin interpenetrating polymer networks porous material could be used as a recyclable adsorbent in removal or separation of anionic dyes as environmental pH condition changed.