title: Use of dicarboxylic acids to improve and diversify the material properties of porous chitosan membranes.
abstract: Several nontoxic dicarboxylic acid solutions (oxalic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, and adipic acid solutions) instead of an acetic acid solution were used as solvents for chitosan dissolution. The amount of free amino groups of the chitosan in the solution decreased due to the ionic cross-linking of the dicarboxylic acids with chitosan. These solutions were used to fabricate porous chitosan membranes. Replacing acetic acid with these dicarboxylic acids for membrane preparation improved the water uptake (by 35% at most), tensile strength (by 110% at most), and elongation capability (by 50% at most) of the membranes. These dicarboxylic acid solutions not only act as solvents but also improve the material properties of the chitosan membranes due to the ionic cross-linking and hydrogen bond formation. In brief, a nontoxic and straightforward cross-linking method has been developed for chitosan material; this method does not result in a brittle product, thus making it better than the use of toxic cross-linking reagents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ting-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Fang-Hsuan
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ya-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ming-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Da-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Juin-Yih
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Hsyue-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012996:Solutions; D012997:Solvents; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012996:Solutions; D012997:Solvents; D048271:Chitosan; D019342:Acetic Acid