Page 44 - Book of Abstracts

th
8 Biannual Conference on Chemistry - CHEM 08

Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of

Biodegradable Cross-linked Carboxymethyl Kappa
Carrageenan/Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Clay Nanocomposites

Riham R. Mohamed, Asya A. Moustafa and Tamer T. El-Idreesy
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Cairo, Egypt

ABSTRACT
Cross-linked carboxymethyl Kappa Carrageenan (CMKc)/
poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) nanocomposites with various ratios of
CMKc: PEG (1:1), (1:2) and (2:1) were synthesized using calcium
chloride as a crosslinker, in the presence of montmorillonite (MMT) in
different weight ratios. Characterization of the nanocomposites was
carried out using various analysis techniques as FT-IR, SEM, TEM,
TGA and XRD. The swelling behavior was studied in different buffer
solutions. Data reviled that the swelling ability increased by the
formation of cross-linked CMKc/PEG nanocomposites in the neutral
medium. Antimicrobial activity was examined and it was found that
CMKc has almost no activity, whereas the introduction of PEG
improved the antimicrobial activity. Biodegradation in soil was
examined and it was found that cross-linked CMKc/PEG in the
presence of MMT has the highest ability to degrade with time.

Keywords: Carboxymethyl kappa carrageenan; Poly (ethylene glycol);
Nanocomposites. Swelling; Biodegradation.

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS CHEM 08 (2020) Page 43