Chitosan: An Attractive Biocompatible Polymer for Microencapsulation

Chitosan is a weak cationic polysaccharide composed essentially of β(1 → 4) linked glucosamine units together with some N‐acetylglucosamine units. It is obtained by extensive deacetylation of chitin, a polysaccharide common in nature. Chitosan is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic natural polymer that exhibits excellent film‐forming ability. As a result of its cationic character, chitosan is able to react with polyanions giving rise to polyelectrolyte complexes. Therefore, because of these interesting properties, it has become the subject of numerous scientific reports and patents on the preparation of microspheres and microcapsules. The techniques employed to microencapsulate with chitosan include, among others, ionotropic gelation, spray drying, emulsion phase separation, simple and complex coacervation, and polymerization of a vinyl monomer in the presence of chitosan. The aim of this work is to review some of the more common techniques used and to put forward the results obtained by our research group in preparing chitosan‐based microcapsules: for taste masking and improving the stability of a nutritional oil, the sustained release of drugs, as well as the preparation of chitosan superparamagnetic microcapsules for the immobilization of enzymes.

Scanning electron micrograph of some superparamagnetic chitosan particles and magnetic hysteresis loop of the microparticles.     

Similar molecular constitutions but different conformations and different supramolecular assemblies in two related fused tetracyclic benzo[b]pyrimido[5,4‐f]azepine derivatives

A simple and effective two‐step approach to tricyclic pyrimidine‐fused benzazepines has been adapted to give the tetracyclic analogues. In (RS)‐8‐chloro‐6‐methyl‐1,2,6,7‐tetrahydropyrimido[5′,4′:6,7]azepino[3,2,1‐hi]indole, C₁₅H₁₄ClN₃, (I), the five‐membered ring adopts an envelope conformation, as does the reduced pyridine ring in (RS)‐9‐chloro‐7‐methyl‐2,3,7,8‐tetrahydro‐1H‐pyrimido[5′,4′:6,7]azepino[3,2,1‐ij]quinoline, C₁₆H₁₆ClN₃, (II). However, the seven‐membered rings in (I) and (II) adopt very different conformations, with the result that the methyl substituent occupies a quasi‐axial site in (I) but a quasi‐equatorial site in (II). The molecules of (I) are linked by C—H...N hydrogen bonds to form C(5) chains and inversion‐related pairs of chains are linked by a π–π stacking interaction. A combination of a C—H...π hydrogen bond and two C—Cl...π interactions links the molecules of (II) into complex sheets. Comparisons are made with some similar fused heterocyclic compounds.     

Thermal and Sintering Characterization of IGCC Slag

IGCC slag is a vitreous residual product from the new induction gasification combined cycle gasification thermal power plants. In order to characterize this waste as secondary new material for the production of new glasses and glass-ceramics as construction materials; this slag from the Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Spain power plants has been fully thermally investigated. After controlled heating this waste gives rise to hematite, anorthite, and cristobalite crystallized materials.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Proton mobility in hydrated sulfonated polystyrene: NMR and impedance studies

Different ionomers were obtained by sulfonation of a commercial polystyrene (PS), using acetyl sulfate as reagent. The sulfonation was assessed by FTIR and XPS spectroscopies and the thermal and mechanical properties were deduced from DMA measurements. The acid form of the ionomers was characterized by means of ¹H and ¹³C MAS-NMR spectroscopies. Polymer hydration under controlled humidity atmosphere was analyzed by gravimetric, NMR and complex impedance techniques. In the hydrated state, two stages associated with formation of hydronium (H₃O⁺) species and proton hopping between adsorbed water molecules were deduced from NMR data. Both processes are responsible for important changes detected in mechanical properties and conductivity of sulfonated polymers during hydration processes.     

Effect of surfactant on interfacial gas transfer studied by axisymmetric drop shape analysis-captive bubble (ADSA-CB)

A new method combining axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) and a captive bubble (CB) is proposed to study the effect of surfactant on interfacial gas transfer. In this method, gas transfer from a static CB to the surrounding quiescent liquid is continuously recorded for a short period (i.e., 5 min). By photographical analysis, ADSA-CB is capable of yielding detailed information pertinent to the surface tension and geometry of the CB, e.g., bubble area, volume, curvature at the apex, and the contact radius and height of the bubble. A steady-state mass transfer model is established to evaluate the mass transfer coefficient on the basis of the output of ADSA-CB. In this way, we are able to develop a working prototype capable of simultaneously measuring dynamic surface tension and interfacial gas transfer. Other advantages of this method are that it allows for the study of very low surface tensions (<5 mJ/m2) and does not require equilibrium of gas transfer. Consequently, reproducible experimental results can be obtained in a relatively short time. As a demonstration, this method was used to study the effect of lung surfactant on oxygen transfer. It was found that the adsorbed lung surfactant film shows a retardation effect on oxygen transfer, similar to the behavior of a pure DPPC film. However, this retardation effect at low surface tensions is less than that of a pure DPPC film.