A process of producing crustacean chitin-derived nitrogendoped carbon quantum dot-titanium dioxide nanocomposite

Abstract

The present utility model relates to a process for producing a crustacean chitinderived nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dot-titanium dioxide (NCQD-TiO2) nanocomposite. The process addresses the technical problem of converting underutilized crustacean-derived chitin into a value-added nanomaterial through a controlled synthesis route. The process comprises preparing choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvent (CCU-DES); converting crustacean-derived chitin into nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) through solvothermal treatment; separating an NCQD-containing fraction using acetone; preparing an acidic NCQD dispersion and a titanium precursor comprising titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) in ethanol; incorporating the NCQDs into TiO2 through hydrothermal treatment; and recovering, washing, drying, and grinding the resulting nanocomposite. The resulting NCQD-TiO2 nanocomposite is useful as a biomass-derived nanomaterial for potential environmental applications.