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Swelling-assisted reduction of chitosan molecular weight in the solid state using hydrogen peroxide

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Abstract

Chitosan in the solid state has been degraded in a controlled way by treatment with hydrogen peroxide at room temperature. Chitosan was swollen in diluted NaOH, making it more susceptible to the peroxide treatment. The product has been characterized by intrinsic viscosity, FTIR infrared spectroscopy and roentgen diffraction. The molecular weight and the intrinsic viscosity were reduced significantly (about tenfold). The degree of deacetylation did not change. The chitosan product has a low viscosity (about 100 cP), a lower molecular weight (1.4 × 102 kDa), a high purity and a high crystallinity. It can be used in many potential applications. This method is easy and suitable for a large-scale process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Ministry of Science and Technology, Vietnam who have funded this research and Leibniz-Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Germany for analytical supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Biotechnology and Environment, NhaTrang University, Nha Trang, Vietnam

    Nguyen Cong Minh

  2. Faculty of Biotechnology, Binh Duong University, Binh Duong, Vietnam

    Hoang Ngoc Cuong

  3. Faculty of Food Technology, NhaTrang University, Nha Trang, Vietnam

    Pham Thi Dan Phuong, Nguyen Van Hoa & Trang Si Trung

  4. Leibniz-Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Simona Schwarz

  5. Centex Shrimp Biotechnology, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand

    Willem F. Stevens

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  1. Nguyen Cong Minh
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  2. Hoang Ngoc Cuong
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  3. Pham Thi Dan Phuong
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  4. Simona Schwarz
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  5. Willem F. Stevens
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  6. Nguyen Van Hoa
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  7. Trang Si Trung
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Correspondence to Trang Si Trung.

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Minh, N.C., Cuong, H.N., Phuong, P.T.D. et al. Swelling-assisted reduction of chitosan molecular weight in the solid state using hydrogen peroxide. Polym. Bull. 74, 3077–3087 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-016-1880-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-016-1880-3

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