Cellulosic fibres modified by chitosan and synthesized ecofriendly carboxymethyl chitosan from prawn shell waste

Abstract

The present study investigates preparation, characterization, and application of chitosan (Ch) and its derivative, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh), on jute and cotton fibres through the eco-friend modification avoiding chemical modifier. Chitosan is a deacetylated product of chitin. CMCh was produced from prepared chitosan (89% degree of deacetylation) by carboxymethylation process, and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. CMCh had an average degree of substitution ranging from 0.62 to 1.20 was determined by titrimetric analysis. X-ray diffraction of CMCh showed a less ordered arrangement than chitosan. Moisture content and ash content of Ch and CMCh were 10%, 9% and 2.33%, 14.39%, respectively which affect cellulosic fibre properties. Extracted chitosan and CMCh were used as surface modifier for natural cellulosic fibres. Modification of jute and cotton through sorption of chitosan and CMCh introduces amino (1610 cm−1) and carboxyl groups (1737 cm−1) on the cellulose chain of fibre surface, causes functionalization. The modified fibres were characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Again, dyed modified fibres showed 10–15% higher dye exhaustion, and better fastness properties than that of unmodified fibres.