Fundamental Skeletal Nanostructure of Nanoporous Polymer-Cross-Linked Alginate Aerogels and Its Relevance To Environmental Remediation

Nanoporous polyurea-cross-linked Ca-alginate (X-Ca-alginate) aerogels were prepared by reacting an aliphatic or aromatic triisocyanate with the preformed biopolymer network post gelation and drying in supercritical CO2. The nanomorphology of native together those different X-Ca-alginate investigated using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy, N2-sorption porosimetry, contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering. Native built from primary nanoparticles (8.3 ± 0.1 nm radius) that attach to one another forming secondary particles. In aerogels, polyureas (which increase size up 10.0 nm) via urethane linkages, then they extend into empty space within particles ways. Cross-linking leads formation a dense polyurea layer over nanoparticles, following contours skeletal framework. rigid forms more loose randomly oriented polymer structure less fills between Both processes leave practically undisturbed, while it does affect at most fundamental level, increasing particle reducing porosity. nanostructures not only their material properties but also potential for application environmental remediation.