Preparation and properties of insoluble films of cyclodextrin condensation polymers

The preparation and properties of smooth and stable films of cyclodextrin polymers are described. The commercially available water soluble prepolymers of-, -, and-cyclodextrin of low molecular masses were crosslinked with glutaric dialdehyde. Side-chain unreacted aldehyde groups were reduced with sodium borohydride. For the-cyclodextrin polymer, optimum film performance was found for a 1:10 mass ratio of glutaric dialdehyde to prepolymer, which corresponds to a molar ratio of glutaric dialdehyde to cyclodextrin units of about 1.75: 1. Such films, of thickness 2.4 µm, were prepared on metallic or glassy-carbon substrates for characterization by scanning-electron microscopy, and for studies with the electrochemical quartz-crystal microbalance.