Characterization of Nanochitosan/Nanosilver-Particles from Commercial Low Molecular Weight Chitosan and Extracted Chitosan from Snail Shell: A Comparative Study

Abstract The current work aims to characterize silver nanoparticles/nanochitosan composite materials due to their potential industrial and biomedical applications. Chemical reduction of silver nitrate salts produced silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). LMWCS (low molecular weight chitosan) was obtained, and biodegradable chitosan was extracted from snail shells using a standard method. Sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) was used to produce chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) from extracted chitosan and LMWCS. AgNPs-CSNPs were produced by incorporating AgNPs into CSNPs as antimicrobial agents. Characterization of the chitosan doped silver nanoparticles was accomplished using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The morphological properties of nanochitosan (ScCSNPs and ArCSNPs) and AgNPs-nanochitosan (ScCSNPs-AgNPs and ArCSNPs-AgNPs) indicated porosity and agglomeration, while functional groups -OH, -NH, and C-H were revealed. The presence of AgNPs in the polymeric matrix of nanochitosan was confirmed by a shift in some of the adsorption bands. The XRD and DSC results indicate that the nanochitosan is crystalline, and they also confirm the presence of AgNPs in the chitosan polymeric matrix. The study found that chitosan extracted from snail shells, which contribute to environmental pollution, could be a good source for the preparation of nanocomposite materials, which are useful in a variety of industrial and biomedical applications.