POS9-0513
Electroactive Bacterial Cellulose Nanofiber/PEDOT:PSS Composites for Environmental Remediation: Electroadsorptive Removal of Dyes and Heavy Metals
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Lenny Segura (Polymer Deparment, Faculty of Chemistry and Materials Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The development of sustainable materials for water remediation has become a major challenge in addressing emerging environmental pollution. In this work, electroactive nanostructured composites based on bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCNF) and PEDOT:PSS were developed and evaluated for the electroadsorptive removal of organic dyes and heavy metals from aqueous media. The incorporation of PEDOT:PSS into the 3D nanofibrous network of bacterial cellulose generated conductive materials with enhanced interfacial properties and high accessibility to active adsorption sites.The materials were characterized using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, confirming the successful incorporation of PEDOT:PSS and the preservation of the cellulose backbone after processing. Morphological analysis by SEM revealed a highly interconnected porous structure prior to use and significant surface modifications after electroadsorption experiments, indicating the interaction and retention of contaminants within the matrix. Electroadsorption studies were carried out under controlled electrochemical conditions using model dye solutions and selected heavy metal ions. The application of an external electric field promoted contaminant transport and adsorption onto the conductive composite, improving removal performance compared with passive adsorption processes. Residual dye concentrations were quantified by UV–Vis spectroscopy, while heavy metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The obtained results demonstrated the capability of BCNF/PEDOT:PSS composites to simultaneously remove different classes of pollutants, highlighting the synergistic contribution of the nanofibrous cellulose network and the conductive polymer.These findings demonstrate the potential of BCNF electroactive materials as sustainable platforms for advanced water treatment technologies and provide valuable insights into the relationship between structure, conductivity, and electroadsorptive performance.
