Physical and Electrical Properties of Chlorophyllin/Carboxymethyl Chitin and Chlorophyllin/Carboxymethyl Chitosan Blend Films

Blend films consisting of chlorophyllin dispersed in carboxymethyl chitin (CM-chitin) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan) were prepared by solution casting and characterized for their physical and electrical properties. Homogeneous films were obtained having chlorophyllin content up to 50 wt% in the CM-chitin matrix and 30 wt% in the CM-chitosan matrix. Agglomeration of chlorophyllin particles in the chlorophyllin/CM-chitosan blend was observed, when chlorophyllin content reached 50 wt%. The electrical conductivity of CM-chitosan was higher than that of CM-chitin by approximately 2 orders of magnitude due to the higher content of amino polar groups. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing chlorophyllin content. The addition of metal ion salts improved the electrical conductivity of the blend films.