Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways
Biopolymers, which are biodegradable and inherently functional, have high potential for specialized applications (e.g., disposable and transient systems and biomedical treatment). For this, it is important to create composite materials with precisely defined chain interactions and tailored propertie...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3797 |
| _version_ | 1797483355614216192 |
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| author | Qingfei Duan Ying Chen Long Yu Fengwei Xie |
| author_facet | Qingfei Duan Ying Chen Long Yu Fengwei Xie |
| author_sort | Qingfei Duan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biopolymers, which are biodegradable and inherently functional, have high potential for specialized applications (e.g., disposable and transient systems and biomedical treatment). For this, it is important to create composite materials with precisely defined chain interactions and tailored properties. This work shows that for a chitosan–gelatin material, both glycerol and isosorbide are effective plasticizers, but isosorbide could additionally disrupt the polyelectrolyte complexation (PEC) between the two biopolymers, which greatly impacts the glass transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub>), mechanical properties, and water absorption. While glycerol-plasticized samples without nanofiller or with graphene oxide (GO) showed minimal water uptake, the addition of isosorbide and/or montmorillonite (MMT) made the materials hydrolytically unstable, likely due to disrupted PEC. However, these samples showed an opposite trend in surface hydrophilicity, which means surface chemistry is controlled differently from chain structure. This work highlights different mechanisms that control the different properties of dual-biopolymer systems and provides an updated definition of biopolymer plasticization, and thus could provide important knowledge for the future design of biopolymer composite materials with tailored surface hydrophilicity, overall hygroscopicity, and mechanical properties that meet specific application needs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:45:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5f16f48398b430f87f1f93c5f0aadb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:45:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5f16f48398b430f87f1f93c5f0aadb42023-11-23T18:30:04ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-09-011418379710.3390/polym14183797Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different WaysQingfei Duan0Ying Chen1Long Yu2Fengwei Xie3College of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaSchool of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UKBiopolymers, which are biodegradable and inherently functional, have high potential for specialized applications (e.g., disposable and transient systems and biomedical treatment). For this, it is important to create composite materials with precisely defined chain interactions and tailored properties. This work shows that for a chitosan–gelatin material, both glycerol and isosorbide are effective plasticizers, but isosorbide could additionally disrupt the polyelectrolyte complexation (PEC) between the two biopolymers, which greatly impacts the glass transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub>), mechanical properties, and water absorption. While glycerol-plasticized samples without nanofiller or with graphene oxide (GO) showed minimal water uptake, the addition of isosorbide and/or montmorillonite (MMT) made the materials hydrolytically unstable, likely due to disrupted PEC. However, these samples showed an opposite trend in surface hydrophilicity, which means surface chemistry is controlled differently from chain structure. This work highlights different mechanisms that control the different properties of dual-biopolymer systems and provides an updated definition of biopolymer plasticization, and thus could provide important knowledge for the future design of biopolymer composite materials with tailored surface hydrophilicity, overall hygroscopicity, and mechanical properties that meet specific application needs.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3797chitosangelatinbiopolymer nanocompositesbiopolymer plasticizationglycerolisosorbide |
| spellingShingle | Qingfei Duan Ying Chen Long Yu Fengwei Xie Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways Polymers chitosan gelatin biopolymer nanocomposites biopolymer plasticization glycerol isosorbide |
| title | Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways |
| title_full | Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways |
| title_fullStr | Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways |
| title_short | Chitosan–Gelatin Films: Plasticizers/Nanofillers Affect Chain Interactions and Material Properties in Different Ways |
| title_sort | chitosan gelatin films plasticizers nanofillers affect chain interactions and material properties in different ways |
| topic | chitosan gelatin biopolymer nanocomposites biopolymer plasticization glycerol isosorbide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/18/3797 |
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