Wet-spun nanoTiO2/chitosan nanocomposite fibers as efficient and retrievable absorbent for the removal of free fatty acids from edible oil.

Here we propose a wet-spinning assembly approach to continuously spin nanoTiO2/chitosan (CS) nanocomposite fibers, which are used directly as absorbents to remove free fatty acids (FFA) from edible oils. The morphology of nanoTiO2 and nanoTiO2/CS nanocomposite fibers was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The structure of the fibers was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and wide angel X-ray diffractometry (WAXD). Moreover, the mechanical property, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity of the fibers were evaluated. These fibers were used for the deacidification of rice bran oil and the acid value of the oil was found decreased from 4.53 ± 0.15 to 1.07 ± 0.06 mg KOH/g within 5 h with a 10 wt % load at 50 ℃. The combination of wet-spinning technology and excellent performance of nanoTiO2/CS nanocomposite fibers paves the way to eco-friendly and sustainable material for FFA removal.