title: Unraveling the effect of the hydration level on the molecular mobility of nanolayered polymeric systems.
abstract: This work investigates the influence of the hydration level on the molecular mobility and glass transition dynamics of freestanding chitosan/alginate (CHT/ALG) nanolayered systems. Nonconventional dynamic mechanical analysis identifies two relaxation processes assigned to the α-relaxation of the two biopolymers, respectively, CHT and ALG, when immersed in water/ethanol mixtures. This phenomenon explains the shape memory properties of the multilayered systems induced by hydration, thus constituting promising smart materials that would be of paramount importance in a plethora of research fields, including in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.
authors: 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, S. Cláudio do Barco, 4806-909, Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: João
authors: J
authors: Borges
authors: Sofia G
authors: SG
authors: Caridade
authors: Joana M
authors: JM
authors: Silva
authors: João F
authors: JF
authors: Mano
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: glass transition; layer-by-layer multilayered systems; molecular mobility; nanolayer confinement; shape-memory polymers