Abstract

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GLUTARALDEHYDE CROSSLINKED CHITOSAN OLIGOSACCHARIDE-GRAFTGLYCIDYLMETHACRYLATE/ POLY PROPYLENE GLYCOL BLEND

E. Radha and P. N. Sudha*

Abstract

The graft copolymerization of Glycidylmethacrylate onto the glutaraldehyde crosslinked chitosan oligosaccharide has been successfully carried out using ceric ammonium nitrate as a redox initiator in aqueous nitric acid medium. The effect of grafting variables, i.e. concentration of initiator, temperature, monomer, and polymer (COS) on the grafting parameters (GE (%), GY (%), GP (%) and (%MC)) was systematically investigated and optimized for the graft copolymer (COS-g-GMA) to achieve the highest percent grafting. From the observed results it was evident that the grafting parameters were increased initially, but thereafter it declines with increase in the concentration of initiator, temperature, monomer concentration and polymer concentration. The synthesized graft copolymer was then blended with polypropylene glycol in 1:1 ratio. The prepared samples were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The FT-IR and XRD studies clearly indicate that the glycidyl methacrylate monomer was effectively grafted onto chitosan oligosaccharide and the formation of Glutaraldehyde crosslinked COS-g-GMA/PPG blend with change in the crystallinity.

Keywords: Chitosan oligosaccharide, Glycidylmethacrylate, Glutaraldehyde, Redox initiation, graft copolymerization, Ceric ammonium nitrate.