Preparation and use of magnetic polymer nanocomposites

1. A magnetic polymer nanocomposite comprising:

a polymeric matrix comprising polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan; and

a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles embedded within the polymeric matrix, wherein the polymeric matrix of the magnetic polymer nanocomposite is configured to adsorb water molecules as air is passed through the nanocomposite and is configured to release the adsorbed water molecules on exposure of the nanocomposite to an electromagnetic field.

2. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric matrix further comprises polypyrrole (PPy), poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene, collagen, or combinations thereof.

3. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles comprise iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles, nickel oxide (Ni 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles, cobalt oxide (CoO 3 ), or combinations thereof.

4. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic polymer nanocomposite is configured for use as a desiccant in an air conditioning system, a dehumidifying system, or combinations thereof.

5. A composite desiccant comprising:

a polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan film; and

a plurality of iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles embedded within the polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan film, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan film is configured to adsorb water molecules as air is passed through the composite desiccant and to release the adsorbed water molecules on exposure of the composite desiccant to an electromagnetic field.

6. The composite desiccant of claim 5 , wherein a concentration of water adsorbed by the composite desiccant is about 50 wt % to about 75 wt %.

7. The composite desiccant of claim 5 , wherein a concentration of water released by the composite desiccant upon exposure of the composite desiccant to the electromagnetic field is about 90% to about 95% of the adsorbed water.

8. A system for extracting moisture from an environment, the system comprising:

a composite desiccant having a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles embedded within a polymeric matrix, wherein the polymeric matrix comprises polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan, and wherein the composite desiccant is configured to adsorb water molecules from the environment, and

a plurality of magnets configured to apply an electromagnetic field to the composite desiccant to release the adsorbed water molecules from the composite desiccant.

9. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic polymer nanocomposite is formed as one or more of nanocomposite fibers, a nanocomposite mesh and nanocomposite microspheres.

10. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein an average size of the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles is in a range between about 50 nanometers and about 100 nanometers.

11. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein a magnetic flux density of the electromagnetic field is in a range between about 3 MHz and about 10 MHz.

12. The magnetic polymer nanocomposite of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles in the magnetic polymer nanocomposite is in a range between about 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt %.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric matrix further comprises polypyrrole (PPy), poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene, collagen, or combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles comprise iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles, nickel oxide (Ni 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles, cobalt oxide (CoO 3 ), or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein a concentration of the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix is in a range between about 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt %.

16. The composite desiccant of claim 5 , wherein a concentration of the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix is in a range between about 0.5 wt % and 2.0 wt %.