Dissolution and blending of chitosan using 1,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride and 1-H-3-methylimidazolium chloride binary ionic liquid solvent

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 83; no. 1; pp. 233 - 238
• Main Authors: Xiao, Wenjun, Chen, Qin, Wu, Ying, Wu, Tinghua, Dai, Lizong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: ammonium salts; Applied sciences; Cellulose; Cellulose and derivatives; Chitosan; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange resins and membranes; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Ionic liquid; ionic liquids; mechanical properties; mixing; Natural polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer industry, paints, wood; scanning electron microscopes; scanning electron microscopy; Starch and polysaccharides; Technology of polymers; thermogravimetry; viscosity; X-ray diffraction; Cellulose; Chitosan; Ionic liquid; Imidazole derivatives; Mixing; Polymer blends; Iminium compounds; Synthetic fiber; Mechanical properties; Temperature effect; Composition effect; Experimental study; Solvent power; Tensile strength; Mixed solvent; Morphology; Oside polymer; Membrane; Chemical synthesis; Growth from solution
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.07.046

A novel, lower viscosity and highly efficient ionic liquid (IL), 1,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride (DMImCl), has been prepared. This IL together with another IL 1-H-3-methylimidazolium chloride (HMImCl) have been developed for the dissolution and regeneration of chitosan, which can be used to prepare chitosan/cellulose blended membranes and fibers. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform IR (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to visualize the modifications of the native structures of chitosan during the dissolution and the regeneration processes. No or little ammonium salts came into being in the dissolution process of chitosan. The morphological features and mechanical properties of the blended materials were carried out to evaluate the effect of blending by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and tensile testing, respectively. The resulting chitosan/cellulose blended membranes and fibers not only present brown compact structure but also possess good mechanical properties.