title: Cross-linked chitosan/chitin crystal nanocomposites with improved permeation selectivity and pH stability.
abstract: This study is aimed at developing and characterizing cross-linked bionanocomposites for membrane applications using chitosan as the matrix, chitin nanocrystals as the functional phase, and gluteraldehyde as the cross-linker. The nanocomposites' chemistry and morphology were examined by estimation of gel content, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), whereby the occurrence of cross-linking and nanoscale dispersion of chitin in the matrix was confirmed. Besides, cross-linking and chitin whiskers content were both found to impact the water uptake mechanism. Cross-linking provided dimensional stability in acidic medium and significantly decreased the equilibrium water uptake. Incorporation of chitin nanocrystals provided increased permeation selectivity to chitosan in neutral and acidic medium.
authors.affiliation: Division of Manufacturing and Design of Wood and Bionanocomposites, Luleå University of Technology, Skellefteå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Aji P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre G
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Laborie
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oksman
mesh_terms: D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D053761:Nanocomposites; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010539:Permeability; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan