Chitosan and oligo(dl-lactic acid) networks: Correlations between physical properties and macromolecular configuration

Abstract

Aiming the obtainment of materials with useful properties for bio-applications, as thermal and mechanical (in particular flexibility), chitosan and low molecular weight poly(lactic acid) were chosen due to their biodegradability and biocompatibility in various bio-environments. Networks formed by oligo(DL-lactic acid) segments linked to the chitosan chains were prepared, in which the ratio between the components varied systematically. A thorough structural characterization was performed, including the degree of crosslinking and the size of the crosslinking blocks. The thermal and mechanical properties varied according the ratio between the components in a non-linear way, which was discussed in terms of the macromolecular architecture. The data were compared with previous results obtained for grafts with the same composition aiming to verify the effect of the macromolecular architecture on the macroscopic properties.

Preparation and antimicrobial activity of sulfopropyl chitosan in an ionic liquid aqueous solution

“…Chitosan is a fully or partly deacetylated product of chitin; it is the second most abundant natural polymer next to cellulose . As the only naturally occurring alkaline polysaccharide with amino groups, chitosan has various unique properties, including biocompatibility and antibacterial activity . Therefore, chitosan has been used in many fields by researchers, including wound dressings, biomedical composites, and drug carriers .…”