title: Evaluation of selected properties of biocompatible chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blends.
abstract: Selected properties of chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blends crosslinked by tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were studied. XRD analysis showed characteristics peak at 22.5° attributed to the crystalline structure of CS and PVA. DSC thermograms unveiled the quantitative determination of free, intermediate and bound water in the blends. Tensile strength and fracture strain of blends were observed due to the combined effect of physically and chemically crosslinked network structures. The decrease in water contact angle indorsed the hydrophilic performance while the storage modulus G' and loss modulus G″ was decreased as the temperature was increased exhibited the viscoelastic property of the blends. The fabricated blends can be employed for drug delivery systems, tissue engineering and other biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, PIEAS, Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: dratifislam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, PIEAS, Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasin
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nafisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gull
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahzad Maqsood
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Azeem
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Munawar
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafiq
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aneela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabir
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jamil
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Biocompatible; Blends; Chitosan