Thermal and mechanical properties of UV irradiated collagen/chitosan thin films

The thermal and mechanical properties of collagen/chitosan blends before and after UV irradiation have been investigated using thermal analysis and mechanical (Instron) techniques. Comparisons were made with the thermal and mechanical properties of both collagen and chitosan films. Air-dried collagen, chitosan and collagen/chitosan films were exposed to UV irradiation (wavelength 254 nm) for different time intervals. Thermal properties of collagen/chitosan blends depend on the composition of the blend and are not significantly altered by UV irradiation.Mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile strength and ultimate percentage of elongation were much better for collagen films than for collagen/chitosan films. The results have shown that the mechanical properties of the blends were greatly affected by the duration of UV irradiation. Ultimate tensile strength and ultimate percentage elongation decreased after UV irradiation of the blend. Increasing UV irradiation leads to an increase in Young's modulus of the collagen/chitosan blend.     

Overwhelming electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction of zinc-nitrogen-carbon from biomass resource chitosan via a facile carbon bath method

Developing high efficiency and low cost electrocatalysts is critical for the enhancement of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is the fundamental for the development and commercialization of renewable energy conversion technology. Herein, zinc-nitrogen-carbon (Zn-N-C) was prepared by using biomass resource chitosan via a facile carbon bath method. The obtained Zn-N-C delivered a high specific surface area (794.7 cm²/g) together with pore volume (0.49 cm³/g). During the electrochemical evaluation of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), Zn-N-C displayed high activity for ORR with an onset potential E₀ = 0.96 V_RHE and a half wave potential E_1/2 = 0.86 V_RHE, which were more positive than those of the commercial 20 wt% Pt/C benchmark catalyst (E₀ = 0.96 V_RHE and E_1/2 = 0.81 V_RHE). In addition, the Zn-N-C catalyst also had a better stability and methanol tolerance than those of the Pt/C catalyst.     

The significance of complex polysaccharides in personal care formulations

Complex polysaccharides have numerous pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulating, anticoagulant and anticancer effects. In personal care products, these biopolymers are used as thickener and stabilizing agents or as moisturizing ingredients that could be beneficial to the skin. Various polysaccharides, such as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronic acid (HA), carrageenan, fucose, fucoidan, chitin, chitosan, etc., have applications in cosmeceutical industries. GAGs and HA incorporated in moisturizing creams strengthen the skin barrier by forming a protective layer which prevents transdermal water loss. Therefore, these polysaccharides have been formulated into potential cosmeceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.     

Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, encapsulation efficiency and release properties of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules

The drug-loaded alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules were prepared by mixing method, absorption method and the combined method of mixing and absorption, respectively. The effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, the encapsulation efficiency and the release properties of the complex microcapsules were investigated. The results showed that the absorption process is a dominating factor to greatly increase the drug load of Hb into microcapsules. Upon loading Hb into microcapsules by combined method of mixing and absorption, the drug load (19.9%) is up to the maximum value, and the encapsulation efficiency is 93.8%. Moreover, the drug release is a zero-order kinetics process for the ternary complex microcapsules made by mixing. For the complex microcapsules made by absorption, the drug release is a first-order kinetics. However, for the complex microcapsules made by combining the mixing and the absorption, the drug release obeys a first-order kinetics during the first eighteen hours, changing afterwards to a zero-order kinetics process. Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load and encapsulation efficiency of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules.     

Preparation and characterization of self-assembled nanoparticles based on glycol chitosan bearing adriamycin

An anthracycline drug, adriamycin, was chemically conjugated onto the backbone of glycol chitosan via an acid-labile cis-aconityl linkage. The physicochemical characteristics of the glycol chitosan–adriamycin (GC–ADR) conjugates were investigated by dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The GC–ADR conjugates were capable of forming nano-sized self-aggregates in an aqueous medium, when the adriamycin content in the conjugate was in the range of 2.0–5.0 wt.%. The self-aggregates were spherical in shape, and had mean diameters of 238–304 nm, depending on the adriamycin content. The critical aggregation concentrations of the conjugates, estimated by the fluorescence quenching method, were as low as 1.0–2.5×10⁻² mg/ml. The size of self-aggregates was not affected by the polymer concentration in the range from 50 to 2,000 μg/ml, and was maintained up to 8 days in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4), indicating high colloidal stability. The release of adriamycin from self-aggregates was significantly dependent on the pH of the medium due to the cis-aconityl linkage; e.g., the amount of adriamycin released for 4 days was 7.3±0.3% at pH 7, whereas it was 29.3±1.9% at pH 4. The cell viability results demonstrated that free adriamycin shows more potent cytotoxicity than the conjugates, primarily attributed to the sustained release of adriamycin from self-aggregates. In conclusion, the self-aggregates, formed by GC–ADR conjugates, might be useful for the site-specific delivery of adriamycin in a sustained manner.     

Acetylation and molecular mass effects on barrier and mechanical properties of shortfin squid chitosan membranes

Chitosan samples with different N-deacetylation levels were obtained from β-chitin under heterogeneous alkali conditions. Oxidative depolymerisation was performed to attain low-acetylated chitosan samples with different molecular mass. Water vapour permeability, membrane swelling and tensile mechanical properties were analysed in plasticized self-supporting chitosan membranes. The main purpose was to describe unambigously the effect of the biopolymer molecular mass and acetylation degree on these properties. Commercially available chitosan samples derived from α-chitin were also studied for comparison. The equilibrium degree of swelling in water and the water vapour permeability increase by increasing the molecular mass or the degree of acetylation. Regarding the effect on the mechanical properties, generally harder and tougher membranes were obtained for chitosans with higher molecular mass or lower acetylation degree. These observations are tentatively explained based on the different structural characteristics of the polymer and can lead to a better understanding of the tools necessary to tailor a specific type of chitosan membrane.     

壳聚糖的基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱分析

利用基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOF-MS)分析甲壳素脱乙酰化降解产物——壳聚糖,对基质、制样方法等影响MALDI-TOF-MS测定结果的因素进行了研究。实验发现,以2,5-二羟基苯甲酸(DHB)为基质,二次结晶法制样分析壳聚糖,既获得了壳聚糖的分子量信息,又可以推断壳聚糖的脱乙酰度,对壳聚糖的制备及其质量与性能控制有着十分重要的指导意义。     

2-羟丙基三甲基氯化铵壳聚糖的制备及其性能研究

以脱乙酰度为95.37%的壳聚糖(CTS)为原料,异丙醇为溶剂,2,3-环氧丙基三甲基氯化铵为改性剂,于80℃反应12 h合成了水溶性季铵盐2-羟丙基三甲基氯化铵壳聚糖(HACC)。HACC的吸水保水性是CTS的2倍～3倍,加入化妆品中培养2周后菌落总数少于100 CFU.g-1。     

低分子量壳聚糖的Sm3+配合物的合成和表征

壳聚糖经双氧水降解制得低分子量壳聚糖,低分子量壳聚糖与Sm3 反应制得配合物。分别用红外、紫外、荧光等测试手段对低分子量壳聚糖及其与Sm3 形成的配合物的结构和性能进行了表征。结果表明,低分子量壳聚糖与Sm3 发生了螯合作用,形成了较稳定的配合物。     

Swelling kinetics and release characteristic of crosslinked chitosan: Polyether polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogels

The aqueous swelling kinetics of a series of crosslinked chitosan (cr-CS) with glutaraldehyde (GA) interpenetrating polyether hydrogels have been studied as functions of pH, the N-deacetylation degree of chitosan, the amount of crosslinking agent, the electrolyte composition in solution, temperature, and gel composition. Based on these results, the swelling mechanism of the hydrogels was discussed. The release profiles of chlorhexidini acetas from the semi-IPN were also investigated. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.