LAUSR

Abstract Chitosan–silica hybrid aerogel [(CS)hA] was prepared using sol-gel method by combining an inorganic network in the presence of an organic polymer. Chitosan biopolymer and silica (SiO2) which are obtained from agricultural waste of crab shell and bamboo leaves are the primary precursors used in the sol-gel reaction and hexamethyldisiloxane applied for hydrophobicity. The derived aerogel has been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Sears method was used to determine surface area. The FTIR spectrum shows presence of organic and inorganic entities which are also seen on the EDX chart. TGA provides information on the thermal stability of the derived aerogel. The SEM analysis shows clearly the surface morphology and roughness of (CS)hA. The calculated pore volume, bulk density, surface area, and porosity is 0.286 cm3 g−1, 0.441 g cm−3, 237.4 m2 g−1 and 0.126.