Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel <italic style="font-style: italic">via</italic> Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions

Xuan-Ran Li; Xiao-Han Sun; Hua-Feng Tian; Ang Lu

doi:10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel via Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2026-04-01

- Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel via Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 44, Pages: 1-14(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  a.Hubei Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Power Sources, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
  b.School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
- Author bio：
  
  anglu@whu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z
  CLC：
- Received：29 October 2025，
  
  Revised：2026-01-15，
  
  Accepted：20 January 2026，
  
  Online First：01 April 2026，
  
  Published：05 May 2026
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Li, X. R.; Sun, X. H.; Tian, H. F.; Lu, A. Thermopower modulation of chitosan hydrogel via complexation between chitosan and metal ions. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z

Xuan-Ran Li, Xiao-Han Sun, Hua-Feng Tian, et al. Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel via Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-14.
Li, X. R.; Sun, X. H.; Tian, H. F.; Lu, A. Thermopower modulation of chitosan hydrogel via complexation between chitosan and metal ions. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z DOI：

Xuan-Ran Li, Xiao-Han Sun, Hua-Feng Tian, et al. Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel via Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-14. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z.

摘要

Abstract

Ionic thermoelectric gels based on the Soret effect play an important role in realizing the efficient conversion of thermal and electrical energy

which is crucial for renewable energy utilization and efficient energy management. In this study

chitosan hydrogels were fabricated by complexation of chitosan and various metal ions

via

a freeze-casting approach for unitization as ionic thermoelectric materials. Various aggregate structures

including loosely fibrous networks

oriented porous structures

and lamellar porous structures

were obtained owing to the different interactions between chitosan and metal ions. As a result of the synergy of both the aggregate structure and intermolecular interaction

the as-prepared chitosan hydrogels demonstrated wide thermoelectric coefficient ranging from +1.6 mV·K

−1

to −18.4 mV·K

−1

which can be achieved by simply involving different metal ions. The present work not only demonstrates the correlation between gel structure

intermolecular interactions

and thermoelectric performance

but also provides a simple approach for the fabrication and regulation of natural p

olymer-based thermoelectric materials.

关键词

Keywords

references

Lee, S.; Kim, S.; Pathak, A.; Tripathi, A.; Qiao, T.; Lee, Y.; Lee, H.; Woo, H. Y. Recent progress in organic thermoelectric materials and devices. Macromol. Res. 2020 , 28 , 531−552..

Sharma, V. K.; Ma, X.; Lichtfouse, E.; Robert, D. Nanoplastics are potentially more dangerous than microplastics. Environ. Chem. Lett. 2023 , 21 , 1933−1936..

An, Q.; Zhou, T.; Wen, C.; Yan, C. The effects of microplastics on heavy metals bioavailability in soils: a meta-analysis. J. Hazard. Mater. 2023 , 460 , 132369..

Qin, C.; Lu, A. Flexible, anti-freezing self-charging power system composed of cellulose based supercapacitor and triboelectric nanogenerator. Carbohydr. Polym. 2021 , 274 , 118667..

Hu, Y.; Zhang, M.; Qin, C.; Qian, X.; Zhang, L.; Zhou, J.; Lu, A. Transparent, conductive cellulose hydrogel for flexible sensor and triboelectric nanogenerator at subzero temperature. Carbohydr. Polym. 2021 , 265 , 118078..

Tian, Y.; Yang, X.; Li, K.; Zhang, Q.; Li, Y.; Wang, H.; Hou, C. High-performance ionic thermoelectric materials and emerging applications of ionic thermoelectric devices. Materials Today Energy 2023 , 36 , 101342..

Malti, A.; Edberg, J.; Granberg, H.; Khan, Z. U.; Andreasen, J. W.; Liu, X.; Zhao, D.; Zhang, H.; Yao, Y.; Brill, J. W. An organic mixed ion-electron conductor for power electronics. Adv. Sci. 2015 , 3 , 1500305..

Ohta, H.; Kim, S.; Mune, Y.; Mizoguchi, T.; Nomura, K.; Ohta, S.; Nomura, T.; Nakanishi, Y.; Ikuhara, Y.; Hirano, M.; Hosono, H.; Koumoto, K. Giant thermoelectric Seebeck coefficient of a two-dimensional electron gas in SrTiO 3 . Nat. Mater. 2007 , 6 , 129−134..

Kim, S. L.; Lin, H. T.; Yu, C. Thermally chargeable solid-state supercapacitor. Adv. Energy Mater. 2016 , 6 , 1600546..

Zhao, D.; Wang, H.; Khan, Z. U.; Chen, J.; Gabrielsson, R.; Jonsson, M. P.; Berggren, M.; Crispin, X. Ionic thermoelectric supercapacitors. Energy Environ. Sci. 2016 , 9 , 1450−1457..

Fan, Z.; Ouyang, J. Thermoelectric properties of PEDOT: PSS. Adv. Electr. Mater. 2019 , 5 , 1800769..

Zhao, D.; Würger, A.; Crispin, X. Ionic thermoelectric materials and devices. J. Energy Chem. 2021 , 61 , 88−103..

Chang, W. B.; Fang, H.; Liu, J.; Evans, C. M.; Russ, B.; Popere, B. C.; Patel, S. N.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Segalman, R. A. Electrochemical effects in thermoelectric polymers. ACS Macro Lett. 2016 , 5 , 455−459..

Kim, N.; Lienemann, S.; Petsagkourakis, I.; Alemu Mengistie, D.; Kee, S.; Ederth, T.; Gueskine, V.; Leclère, P.; Lazzaroni, R.; Crispin, X. Elastic conducting polymer composites in thermoelectric modules. Nat. Commun. 2020 , 11 , 1424..

Elieh-Ali-Komi, D.; Hamblin, M. R. Chitin and chitosan: production and application of versatile biomedical nanomaterials. Int. J. Adv. Res. 2016 , 4 , 411..

[Yao, K.; Li, J.; Yao, F.; Yin, Y. Chitosan-based hydrogels. in Chitosan-based hydrogels . Taylor & Francis Group, LLC; 2012 ..

Arbia, W.; Arbia, L.; Adour, L.; Amrane, A. Chitin extraction from crustacean shells using biological methods–a review. Food Technol. Biotechnol. 2013 , 51 , 12−25..

Vázquez, J. A.; Rodríguez-Amado, I.; M ontemayor, M. I.; Fraguas, J.; del Pilar González, M.; Murado, M. A. Chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid and chitin/chitosan production using marine wastesources: characteristics, applications and eco-friendly processes: a review. Mar. Drugs 2013 , 11 , 747−774..

[Sun, X.; Zhang, M.; Qi, H.; Chen, P.; Zhang, J.; Lu, A. Boosting negative thermopower of chitosan hydrogel via bio-inspired anisotropic porous structure. Adv. Funct. Mater . 2024 , 2419762..

Chen, B.; Zhang, X.; Yang, J.; Feng, J.; Wang, T. Giant negative thermopower enabled by bidirectionally anchored cations in multifunctional polymers. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023 , 15 , 24483−24493..

Rogina, A.; Lončarević, A.; Antunović, M.; Marijanović, I.; Ivanković, M.; Ivanković, H. Tuning physicochemical and biological properties of chitosan through complexation with transition metal ions. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2019 , 129 , 645−652..

Wahid, F.; Wang, H. S.; Zhong, C.; Chu, L. Q. Facile fabrication of moldable antibacterial carboxymethyl chitosan supramolecular hydrogels cross-linked by metal ions complexation. Carbohydr. Polym. 2017 , 165 , 455−461..

Zhang, H.; Cooper, A. I. Aligned porous structures by directional freezing. Adv. Mater. 2007 , 19 , 1529−1533..

Mahler, W.; Bechtold, M. F. Freeze-formed silica fibres. Nature. 1980 , 285 , 27−28..

Bai, H.; Chen, Y.; Delattre, B.; Tomsia, A. P.; Ritchie, R. O. Bioinspired large-scale aligned porous materials assembled with dual temperature gradients. Sci. Adv. 2015 , 1 , e1500849..

Li, W.; Lu, K.; Walz, J. Freeze casting of porous materials: review of critical factors in microstructure evolution. Int. Mater. Rev. 2012 , 57 , 37−60..

Deville, S. Ice-templating, freeze casting: beyond materials processing. J. Mater. Res. 2013 , 28 , 2202−2219..

Gao, Q.; Ai, J.; Tang, S.; Li, M.; Chen, Y.; Huang, J.; Tong, H.; Xu, L.; Xu, L.; Tanaka, H. Fast crystal growth at ultra-low temperatures. Nat. Mater. 2021 , 20 , 1431−1439..

Zhang, Y.; Cremer, P. S. Interactions between macromolecules and ions: the Hofmeister series. Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2006 , 10 , 658−663..

Wang, Q.; Zhao, L.; Li, C.; Cao, Z. The decisive role of free water in determining homogenous ice nucleation behavior of aqueous solutions. Sci. Rep. 2016 , 6 , 26831..

Deville, S. Freeze-casting of porous ceramics: a review of current achievements and issues. Adv. Eng. Mater. 2008 , 10 , 155−169..

Zhang, S.; Zhang, C.; Wu, S.; Zhou, X.; He, Z.; Wang, J. Ion-specific effects on the growth of single ice crystals. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2021 , 12 , 8726−8731..

Varma, A.; Deshpande, S.; Kennedy, J. Metal complexation by chitosan and its derivatives: a review. Carbohydr. Polym. 2004 , 55 , 77−93..

Pereira, F. S.; Lanfredi, S .; González, E. R. P.; da Silva Agostini, D. L.; Gomes, H. M.; dos Santos Medeiros, R. Thermal and morphological study of chitosan metal complexes. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 2017 , 129 , 291−301..

Rhazi, M.; Desbrieres, J.; Tolaimate, A.; Rinaudo, M.; Vottero, P.; Alagui, A.; El Meray, M. Influence of the nature of the metal ions on the complexation with chitosan: application to the treatment of liquid waste. Eur. Polym. J. 2002 , 38 , 1523−1530..

Ali, A. A.; Elmahdy, M. M.; Sarhan, A.; Abdel Hamid, M. I.; Ahmed, M. T. Structure and dynamics of polypyrrole/chitosan nanocomposites. Polym. Int. 2018 , 67 , 1615−1628..

Cui, Z.; Xiang, Y.; Si, J.; Yang, M.; Zhang, Q.; Zhang, T. Ionic interactions between sulfuric acid and chitosan membranes. Carbohydr. Polym. 2008 , 73 , 111−116..

Zawadzki, J.; Kaczmarek, H. Thermal treatment of chitosan in various conditions. Carbohydr. Polym. 2010 , 80 , 394−400..

Brunel, F.; El Gueddari, N. E.; Moerschbacher, B. M. Complexation of copper (II) with chitosan nanogels: toward control of microbial growth. Carbohydr. Polym. 2013 , 92 , 1348−1356..

Jin, L.; Bai, R. Mechanisms of lead adsorption on chitosan/PVA hydrogel beads. Langmuir 2002 , 18 , 9765−9770..

Francis, A.; Yang, Y.; Boccaccini, A. A new strategy for developing chitosan conversion coating on magnesium substrates for orthopedic implants. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2019 , 466 , 854−862..

Taboada, E.; Cabrera, G.; Jimenez, R.; Cardenas, G. A kinetic study of the thermal degradation of chitosan-metal complexes. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2009 , 114 , 2043−2052..

Xiang, Y.; Zhang, Q.; Si, J.; Du, J.; Guo, H.; Zhang, T. Characterization and catalytic kinetics studies of N-cetyl-O-sulfate chitosan multinuclear copper complex as an artificial hydrolase. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2010 , 322 , 33−38..

Zhu, Y.; Hu, J.; Wang, J. Competitive adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) onto xanthate-modified magnetic chitosan. J. Hazard. Mater. 2012 , 221 , 155−161..

Dambies, L.; Guimon, C.; Yiacoumi, S.; Guibal, E. Characterization of metal ion interactions with chitosan by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Colloids Surf. Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 2001 , 177 , 203−214..

Qu, J.; Hu, Q.; Shen, K.; Zhang, K.; Li, Y.; Li, H.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, J.; Quan, W. The preparation and characterization of chitosan rods modified with Fe 3+ by a chelation mechanism. Carbohydr. Res. 2011 , 346 , 822−827..

Wei, X.; Chen, S.; Rong, J.; Sui, Z.; Wang, S.; Lin, Y.; Xiao, J.; Huang,D. Improving the Ca(II) adsorption of chitosan via physical and chemical modifications and charactering the structures of the calcified complexes. Polym. Test. 2021 , 98 , 107192..

Zhuang, S.; Zhu, K.; Wang, J. Fibrous chitosan/cellulose composite as an efficient adsorbent for Co(II) removal. J. Cleaner Prod. 2021 , 285 , 124911..

[Keshipour, S. A. Amines functionalities on chitosan boasting photocatalytic activity of cobalt (II)-phthalocyanine i n water-splitting. Molecular Catal . 2023 , 534 ,.

Sarma, G. K.; Sharma, R.; Saikia, R.; Borgohain, X.; Iraqui, S.; Bhattacharyya, K. G.; Rashid, M. H. Facile synthesis of chitosan-modified ZnO/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites for effective remediation of groundwater fluoride. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res. 2020 , 27 , 30067−30080..

Hu, C.; Gao, Z.; Zhang, M.; Han, S.; Fu, C.; Zhu, T. Intrinsic conductivity as an indicator for better thermoelectrics. Energy Environ. Sci. 2023 , 16 , 5381−5394..

Pai, Y. H.; Tang, J.; Zhao, Y.; Liang, Z. Ionic organic thermoelectrics with impressively high thermopower for sensitive heat harvesting scenarios. Adv. Energy Mater. 2023 , 13 , 2202507..

Choo, Y.; Halat, D. M.; Villaluenga, I.; Timachova, K.; Balsara, N. P. Diffusion and migration in polymer electrolytes. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 103 , 101220..

Rezende Franco, L.; Sehnem, A. L.; Figueiredo Neto, A. n. M.; Coutinho, K. Molecular dynamics approach to calculate the thermodiffusion (Sor et and Seebeck) coefficients of salts in aqueous solutions. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2021 , 17 , 3539−3553..

Cheng, X.; Hu, Y.; Chen, P.; Qi, H.; Lu, A. Regulation of thermal migration channel in cellulose hydrogel to enhance thermopower. Chem. Eng. J. 2024 , 498 , 155161..

Kee, S.; Haque, M. A.; Corzo, D.; Alshareef, H. N.; Baran, D. Self-healing and stretchable 3D-printed organic thermoelectrics. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019 , 29 , 1905426..

Pu, S.; Liao, Y.; Chen, K.; Fu, J.; Zhang, S.; Ge, L.; Conta, G.; Bouzarif, S.; Cheng, T.; Hu, X.; Liu, K.; Chen, J. Thermogalvanic hydrogel for synchronous evaporative cooling and low-grade heat energy harvesting. Nano Lett. 2020 , 20 , 3791−3797..

He, X.; Cheng, H.; Yue, S.; Ouyang, J. Quasi-solid state nanoparticle/(ionic liquid) gels with significantly high ionic thermoelectric properties. J. Mater. Chem. A 2020 , 8 , 10813−10821..

Zhao, W.; Zheng, Y.; Jiang, M.; Sun, T.; Huang, A.; Wang, L.; Jiang, W.; Zhang, Q. Exceptional n-type thermoele ctric ionogels enabled by metal coordination and ion-selective association. Sci. Adv. 2023 , 9 , eadk2098..

Views

Downloads

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

Submit

Tools

Publicity Resources

ε-Poly(L-lysine)-based Hydrogels with Fast-acting and Prolonged Antibacterial Activities

Anti-swelling and Mechanically Robust Composite Hydrogels in Aquatic Environments

Fe³⁺-coordinated Dual-crosslinked Conjugated Polymer Hydrogels with Ultrahigh Evaporation Rate for Efficient Desalination and Sustainable Agriculture

Robust Skin-adaptable Bioelectronics with Self-adhesive Polysaccharide Hydrogel Conductors for Multimodal Physiological Signal Acquisition

Cooperative Supramolecular Polymerization of Propeller-Shaped Triphenylamine Cyanostilbenes for Explosive Detection

Related Author

Yi-Jie Zou

Shi-Sheng He

Jian-Zhong Du

Ze-Hang Du

Qing-Hua Wang

An-Qi Xiao

Piao-Piao Zhou

Xiao-Lin Lyu

Related Institution

Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Department Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University

Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine

Eco-materials and Renewable Energy Research Center, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University

Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Technologies, International (HongKong Macao and Taiwan) Joint Laboratory on Advanced Materials Technologies, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University

Chongqing Water & Environment Holdings Group, Ltd.

⁰

Thermopower Modulation of Chitosan Hydrogel via Complexation between Chitosan and Metal Ions

DOI：10.1007/s10118-026-3583-z

摘要

Abstract

关键词

Keywords

references