Optimization of Chitosan+Activated Carbon Nanocomposite. DFT Study

Volume 3 - Issue 5

David Hernández Benitez and Juan Horacio Pacheco Sánchez*

Received: October 01, 2018;   Published: October 09, 2018

DOI: 10.32474/AOICS.2018.03.000175

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Abstract

First, the minimum energy (geometry optimization DFT-DMol³) is obtained among C₄₈ optimized ring carbon-system, and one non-optimized chitosan copolymer unit. Second, C₂₄ and C₉ optimized rings, each one interacting with an optimized chitosan copolymer unit (Ch). With the aim to investigate structural properties, the first case is optimized by applying smearing; and the second without smearing. Two parallel hypothetical carbon chains of 12 carbon atoms, symmetrically arranged are optimized in C₂₄ carbyne ring; and one hypothetical 5 carbon-chain parallel to another 4 carbon-chain end optimized in a cumulene C₉-ring. These carbon-ring structures here defined as activated carbons (AC), correspond to big pore size diameter obtained without chemical agent acting on them. Single point calculations are to build potential energy surfaces with GGA-PW91 functional to deal with exchange correlation energies for unrestricted spin, all-electron with dnd basis set. Only in the first case, orbital occupation is optimized with diverse smearing values. To determine structure stability, the minimum energy criterion is applied on AC+Ch nanocomposite. To generate fractional occupation, virtual orbitals are formed in this occupation space, whether homo-lumo gap is small and there is certain density near Fermi level. This fractional occupation pattern depends on the temperature. It must be noticed that when AC and Ch are solids, there is no adsorption; however, by applying smearing it was possible to find potential energy surfaces with a high equilibrium energy indicating glass phase transition in Chitosan due to the chemisorption given at the minimum of energy. AC+Ch molecular complex nanocomposite is expected to be applied not only in medicine but also in high technology.

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