The effect of different storage temperatures on the physical properties of pectin solutions and gels

The stability (in terms of viscosity and gel strength) of pectin solutions and gels potentially plays an important role in their behaviour and functional properties in a wide range of applications and therefore any changes over time must be understood. The gel strength of pectin gels and intrinsic viscosity of pectin solutions at different temperatures (4 °C, 25 °C and 40 °C) have been investigated using a “rolling ball” viscometer and a texture analyser respectively. Both the intrinsic viscosity ([η]) and gel strength decrease with increased storage time, although this more pronounced at elevated temperatures. The changes in intrinsic viscosity with storage time and temperature were used to determine the depolymerisation constant (k). Pectin storage conditions and particularly temperature have an influence on depolymerisation, particularly elevated storage temperatures, but whether or not this will be detrimental to its intended application will depend on the functional significance of the changes that occur. In this case based on the previous diffusion studies on a model drug (paracetamol) we conclude that the decreases in viscosity and gel strength within the range observed have no detrimental effect on the drug release properties.     

Evaluation of single-point equations to determine intrinsic viscosity of sodium alginate and chitosan with high deacetylation degree

A viscometric study of two polyelectrolytes, chitosan (CH, with 94% deacetylation degree, in a solute-mixture of acetic acid (0.1 mol L⁻¹) and sodium chloride (0.2 mol L⁻¹) and sodium alginate (SA, with 62% M-units, in sodium chloride (0.1 mol L⁻¹), was performed at 25 °C. Five different equations were applied to calculate intrinsic viscosity [η]: Huggins, Kraemer and Schulz-Blaschke (SB) by graphical extrapolation; Solomon-Ciuta, Deb-Chanterjee and again SB, by faster single-point determination. Viscometric constants were calculated employing graphical extrapolation equations. Average molar mass (‾M_v) values were determined by applying the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation. For the samples analyzed, Huggins equation was the most suitable to calculate [η] and‾M_v by graphical extrapolation for chitosan, while Schulz-Blaschke and Solomon-Ciuta were adequate for single-point determinations of sodium alginate. Viscometric constants indicated that the aqueous mixture of acetic acid and sodium chloride is a poor solvent for chitosan, while sodium alginate is well solvated by aqueous sodium chloride.     

The kinetics of adsorption of tetracycline on chitosan particles

Experiments to monitor and characterize the kinetics of adsorption of tetracycline on chitosan particles are reported in this work. The same pseudo-order kinetics that has been widely used for describing the adsorption in systems related to wastewater purification and drug loading was used to treat the present data. As some unexpected results came out from the experiments, it was necessary a detailed deduction for this sort of kinetics to be carried out, so that approximations related to short and long times were obtained. Firstly it was shown that an apparently linear t/q(t) versus t relationship did not imply a pseudo-second-order sorption kinetics, differently of what has been repeatedly reported in the literature. It was found that this misinterpretation could be avoided by using non-linear regression. Finally, the adsorption of tetracycline on chitosan particles was analyzed, using the insights obtained from theoretical analysis, and the parameters generated were used to analyze to adsorption kinetics and to propose an adsorption mechanism.     

Photo-crosslinked acrylates degradation kinetics

A series of crosslinked polyurethane acrylate solids with glass transition temperatures ranging from –49 to +65 °C was prepared by photopolymerization of specially formulated solvent-free resins. The kinetics of thermooxidative and thermal (in N₂) degradation of these crosslinked acrylate networks at temperatures ranging from 100 to 400 °C was studied as a function of crosslink density using thermogravimetry. The polyacrylate network degradation rate decreased with the increase of crosslink density, while apparent activation energy of degradation increased. Polyacrylate thermal stability increase with crosslinking was explained by decreased rate of oxygen and volatile products diffusion and/or slowing of depolymerization due to increased radical recombination rate, and decreased chain segments mobility in systems with higher crosslink density.     

The time dependence of chitosan/nonionic surfactant solution viscosity

The measurement of the viscosity of semiconcentrated chitosan (0.08–0.14%) solutions in the system with octaethyleneglycolmonon-dodecylether (C₁₂E₈) was carried out using Cannon-Fenske capillary viscometer. The interaction was—as expected—very weak, vut when the time dependent hydrodynamic behaviour of the system was considered, the interaction has been established at particular surfactant concentrations. The most significant time dependence is shown in a form of sudden viscosity drop in a region close to and above CMC value of the surfactant, which implied existence of the interaction between chitosan and surfactant. At low surfactant concentrations viscosity values vere constant with increasing surfactant concentration, but solution also showed time dependent decrease in the viscosity which has been connected with well known time dependent viscosity of pure chitosan solution.The viscometry enabled monitoring of the extent of chitosan/surfactant association by establishing the viscosity decrease rate constant. The rate constant was derived from the first order constant of the quadratic polynomial curves used for the approximation of experimental values when these are presented in the form of viscosity-time profiles. This method showed the existence of critical surfactant concentration values (C ₁,C ₂ andC ₃). These values are closely connected with the proposed interaction model which is based on the assumption that spherical surfactant micelles are bound by chitosan molecule.On leave from Textile Engineering Dept., Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia     

Laccase-based biocathodes: Comparison of chitosan and Nafion

Chitosan and Nafion^® are both reported as interesting polymers to be integrated into the structure of 3D electrodes for biofuel cells. Their advantage is mainly related to their chemical properties, which have a positive impact on the stability of electrodes such as the laccase-based biocathode. For optimal function in implantable applications the biocathode requires coating with a biocompatible semi-permeable membrane that is designed to prevent the loss of enzyme activity and to protect the structure of the biocathode. Since such membranes are integrated into the electrodes ultimately implanted, they must be fully characterized to demonstrate that there is no interference with the performance of the electrode. In the present study, we demonstrate that chitosan provides superior stability compared with Nafion^® and should be considered as an optimum solution to enhance the biocompatibility and the stability of 3D bioelectrodes.     

Development of polyelectrolyte complexes of chitosan and phosphotungstic acid as pervaporation membranes for dehydration of isopropanol

Using a solution technique, chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were developed as pervaporation membranes by incorporating phosphotungstic acid (PTA). The resulting membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Membranes were tested for their ability to separate water–isopropanol mixtures by pervaporation in the temperature range of 30–50 °C. The experimental results demonstrated that both flux and selectivity were increased simultaneously with increasing PTA content in the membrane. The permeation flux of pure chitosan membrane was increased dramatically from 4.13 to 11.70 × 10⁻² kg/m² h and correspondingly its separation factor was increased from 4490 to 11,241 and then decreased to 7490 at 30 °C for 10 mass% of water in the feed. The total flux and flux of water were found to be almost overlapping particularly for PECs membranes, suggesting that these could be used effectively to break the azeotropic point of water–isopropanol mixtures. From the temperature dependency of diffusion and permeation values, the Arrhenius activation parameters were estimated and discussed in the context of membranes efficiency. The pure chitosan and a small amount of PTA-incorporated PECs membranes exhibited positive heat of sorption while other PECs membranes exhibited negative heat of sorption, giving exothermic contribution.     

粘度法预测聚乙二醇/壳聚糖体系的相容性

甲壳素在自然界的含量很大，仅次于纤维素，是一种颇具应用潜力的天然高分子．可由甲壳素经脱酸基化制得壳聚糖．由于其分子中存在氨基，因此能溶解干酸性水溶液中，并以聚电解质的形式存在，近来用壳聚糖制得的纤维膜应用于药物、食品等的分离和纯化、污水的处理，分离效果好，且不带入任何化学杂质．在壳聚糖纤维膜制作及与纤维的混纺过程中，都要探讨它与其它相应高聚物的相容性[1]．我们以相容的壳聚糖（chitosan）／聚乙二醇（PEG）体系为例，采用粘度法讨论其分子间的相互作用，并预测它们的相容性．壳聚糖的基本结构为1实验部分1.1…     

The influence of chitosan on cyclodextrin complexing and solubilizing abilities towards drugs

The present work was performed to investigate the effect of chitosan, a well known hydrophilic polymer with both enhancer and solubilizing properties, on the solubilizing and complexing abilities of cyclodextrins towards drugs. With this aim, phase-solubility studies were carried out with a series of model drugs, both of acid and basic nature and with different water-solubility and lipophilicity values, in the presence of chitosan and cyclodextrin (ß- or hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin), both separately (binary systems) and in combination (ternary systems). Unexpectedly, differently from the favorable effect reported in literature for various hydrophilic polymers, the addition of chitosan to the cyclodextrin complexation medium caused a decrease in the cyclodextrin complexing power towards all the examined drugs, independent from their very different physicochemical properties. On the contrary, the influence of the polymer on the cyclodextrin solubilizing efficiency was found to be dependent on the type of drug and both positive, or negative or non-significant effects were observed. The overall results are explained in terms of a common basic mechanism due to the presence of chitosan–cyclodextrin interactions, which hindered the drug–cyclodextrin complex formation, thus causing the binding constant reduction; the simultaneous presence of drug–chitosan and/or chitosan–(drug–cyclodextrin complex) interactions, different from drug to drug, were considered responsible for the distinct (and sometimes opposite) effects observed in the drug solubilizing efficiency of ternary systems.     

Preparation and characterization of chitosan nanocomposites with vermiculite of different modification

In this study, the biopolymer chitosan/vermiculite (VMT) nanocomposites were prepared by the solution mixing process of the cationic biopolymer chitosan with three different modified VMT (HVMT, NVMT, and OVMT), which was treated by hydrochloride, sodium, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), respectively. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) have been employed in the characterization of chitosan/HVMT, chitosan/NVMT, and chitosan/OVMT nanocomposites. Both WAXD data and TEM images of chitosan nanocomposites indicated that the silicate layers were disorderedly dispersed into the chitosan matrix in nano scale. The thermal stability of chitosan/HVMT nanocomposites have the greatest improvements compared to that of neat chitosan, chitosan/NVMT and chitosan/OVMT nanocomposites. It provides a potential approach to prepare high performance and low-cost chitosan nanocomposite.     

Characterization and in vitro release kinetics of chitosan based biocomposites from Scotch Bonnets

The main aim of this study is to formulate the combination of the bioactive composite containing chitosan/β -tricalcium phosphate (CH/β-TCP) as potential drug delivery platforms for the sustained release of antibiotics. Herein the mode of amoxicillin (AMX) maintained in the β-TCP/chitosan composite was characterized using XRD, FT-IR to confirm the phase purity and functional groups. SEM was used to examine the size and shape of particles. The SEM images of the biocomposites after drug release confirmed that they are biodegradable. In vitro drug release experiments in PBS (pH 7.4) revealed a sustained release profile in a neutral medium. Drug release profiles were evaluated according to five different kinetic models including Zero Order, First Order, Higuchi, Hixon Crowel, and Korsmeyer-Peppas. The release profile was best expressed by the Korsmeyer Peppas model because the results showed high linearity. Overall, the positive effect of chitosan coating on the drug elution profile of β-TCP as carriers for the controlled delivery of antibiotics was regarded as biocompatible for the controlled drug delivery system.     

化学修饰木瓜蛋白酶的酶学性质研究

采用邻苯二甲酸酐(PA)对木瓜蛋白酶进行了化学修饰,通过三硝基苯磺酸法、紫外光谱、荧光光谱及FT-IR光谱对修饰效果进行了初步表征,采用动力学方法考察了pH和温度对修饰酶水解活性和稳定性的影响,并计算了一系列动力学和热力学参数.实验结果表明:PA对木瓜蛋白酶的平均氨基修饰度为43%,未对酶的活性基团-SH发生修饰,修饰酶较原酶的紫外吸收峰和最大荧光发射峰均发生蓝移,紫外吸收强度降低、荧光强度增大;PA修饰未改变木瓜蛋白酶的最适反应温度,但将其最适反应pH由7.0提高到8.5,且酶活力也提高了约20%;PA修饰有效提高了酶的催化水解效率和酶与底物的亲和力,如40℃、最适pH条件下修饰酶的转化数kcat(3.03 s-1)和亲和力kcat/Km(1.70 s.L.g-1)均较原酶的(2.28 s-1、1.15 s.L.g-1)高,修饰酶催化水解反应的活化能Ea(25.4 kJ.mol-1)较原酶的(29.3 kJ.mol-1)低;PA修饰还明显提高了酶的pH稳定性和热稳定性,半衰期t1/2延长,酶分子的热变性活化能Ea,d由77.0 kJ.mol-1提高到94.5 kJ.mol-1.可见PA化学修饰法是一种有效改善木瓜蛋白酶的催化性质和稳定性的方法.     

Drying kinetics of tobacco strips at different air temperatures and relative humidities

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The effects of air temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the drying kinetics of two kinds of flue-cured tobacco strips (C3F and B3F) were studied...     

Viscosities and thermodynamics of viscous flow of some binary mixtures at different temperatures

Viscosities of three non-electrolyte binary mixtures have been determined at different temperatures over the complete concentration range. Excess molar viscosities and excess molar energies of activation for viscous flow for n-butylamine + dichloromethane, n-butylamine + chloroform and n-butylamine + carbon tetrachloride systems at 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C were calculated. Thermodynamic effect parameters of activation were also calculated. The predictive abilities of some equations for viscosities of mixtures were examined.Presented at the XV Jornadas sobre Investigación en Ciencias de la Ingeneriía Química y Química Aplicada, Neuquén, 1989, R. Argentina.     

Preparation and properties of chitosan nanocomposites with nanofillers of different dimensions

In this work, the chitosan ternary nanocomposites with two-dimensional (2D) clay platelets and one-dimensional (1D) CNTs have been successfully prepared by a simple solution-intercalation/mixing method in acid media. It was found that the thermal degradation temperature of chitosan (at 50% weight loss) could be only improved in about 20-30 °C by adding 3 wt% either clay or CNTs, however, almost 80 °C increase of degradation temperature could be achieved by adding 2 wt% clay and 1 wt% CNTs together. Dynamic mechanical measurement demonstrated an obviously improved storage modulus for chitosan/clay-CNTs than that for the corresponding binary chitosan/clay or chitosan/CNT nanocomposites with the same total filler content (3 wt%). For the solvent vapor permeation properties, a largely improved benzene vapor barrier property was observed only in chitosan/clay-CNT ternary nanocomposites and depended on the ratio of clay to CNTs. XRD, SEM and TEM results showed that both clay and CNTs could be well dispersed in the ternary nanocomposites with the nanotubes located around the clay platelets. FTIR showed an improved interaction between the fillers and chitosan by using both clay and CNTs. A much enhanced solid-like behavior was observed in the ternary nanocomposites, compared with the corresponding binary nanocomposites with the same total filler content, as indicated by rheological measurement. The unique synergistic effect of two-dimensional (2D) clay platelets and one-dimensional (1D) CNTs on the property enhancement could be tentatively understood as due to a formation of much jammed filler network with 1D CNTs and 2D clay platelets combined together. Our work demonstrates a good example for the preparation of high performance polymer nanocomposites by using nanofillers with different dimensions together.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of the attack of a phosphate ore by acid solutions at different temperatures

A calorimetric study of the kinetics and thermodynamics of the attack of a phosphate ore from Gafsa region (Tunisia) by phosphoric acid and by a mixture of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acids is undertaken at different temperatures. Two samples of the same ore having different grain size have been used. At 25 °C, the dissolution enthalpy in phosphoric acid solution equals −233.6 ± 2.2 J/g for both of the samples. Attack by the mixture of acids is strongly dependent on the solid granulometry. Interpretation of the calorimetric results by Avrami model shows the existence of three domains attributed to phosphate ore dissolution/H₂PO₄⁻ neutralisation, hemihydrate (HH) precipitation and hemihydrate/dihydrate (DH) transformation. The attack by the acid mixture was performed at higher temperatures and showed in addition the transitional formation of the anhydrous sulfate (AH) at T ≥ 55 °C, which transforms into dihydrate after the HH/DH transformation.     

Raman spectroelectrochemical study on the kinetics of electrochemical degradation of polyaniline

The kinetics of electrochemical degradation of polyaniline and a copolymer of aniline and metanilic acid have been studied by in situ Raman spectroscopy at a gold electrode. It has been concluded that probably no drastic changes in polymer structure occur on prolonged electrochemical treatment of polymer films at a high electrode potential (0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl). Instead, most prominent changes relate to a gradual decrease of an overall intensity of spectra, viz. to gradual degradation of a polymer layer. The degradation proceeds faster at pH 1.0, compared to pH 7.0. The kinetic results obtained have been analyzed following simple 2- or 3-parameter exponential decay equations, and compared with the known degradation rate constants.     

Acoustic and volumetric studies of uracil in aqueous urea solution at different temperatures

Volumetric, viscometric and ultrasonic studies of uracil in an aqueous urea solution in varying concentration of 2, 3 and 5?M have been carried out at 298, 308 and 318?K. The uracil concentration in the aqueous urea solution varies from 0.05% to 0.4%. Density (ρ), viscosity (η) and sound speed (u) have been measured. The experimental data are used for computing various thermodynamic and acoustic parameters, namely apparent molar volume, isentropic compressibility, apparent isentropic compressibility, relative association, intermolecular free length, acoustic impedance, viscous relaxation time, hydration number, Gibb's free energy, classical absorption coefficient of the solution and viscosity data have been further analysed in the light of Masson's equation and Jones–Dole's equations, respectively. The results have been discussed in terms of solute–solute and solute–solvent interaction and the structural changes of the solutes in solutions. The effect of variation of temperature on these interactions has also been investigated.