Effect of neutralization and cross-linking on the thermal degradation of chitos...

• Author(s): Correia, D. M. ; Gámiz- González, M. A. ; Botelho, G. ; Vidaurre, A. ; Gomez Ribelles, J. L. ; Lanceros-Mendez, S. ; Sencadas, V.
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/11110/635
• Origin: CiencIPCA
• Subject(s): Chitosan; Electrospun membranes; Thermal degradation kinetics; Activation energy; Cross-linking
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Thermal degradation of as electrospun chitosan membranes and samples subsequently treated with ethanol and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA) have been studied by thermogravimetry (TG) coupled with an infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The influence of the electrospinning process and cross-linking in the electrospun chitosan thermal stability was evaluated. Up to three degradation steps were observed in the TG data, corresponding to water dehydration reaction at temperatures below 100 ºC, loss of side groups formed between the amine groups of chitosan and trifluoroacetic acid between 150 – 270 ºC and chitosan thermal degradation that starts around 250 ºC and goes up to 400 ºC. The Kissinger model was employed to evaluate the activation energies of the electrospun membranes during isothermal experiments and revealed that thermal degradation activation energy increases for the samples processed by electrospinning and subsequent neutralization and cross-linking treatments with respect to the neat chitosan powder. This work was supported by FEDER through the COMPETE Program and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Project PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011 and PEST-C/QUI/UIO686/2011. The authors also thank funding from Matepro –Optimizing Materials and Processes”, ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000037”, co-funded by the “Programa Operacional Regional do Norte” (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the “Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional” (QREN), through the “Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional” (FEDER). The authors also thank support from the COST Action MP1003 - ‘European Scientific Network for Artificial Muscles’, MP1206 “Electrospun Nano-fibres for bio inspired composite materials and innovative industrial applications” and MP1301 “New Generation Biomimetic and Customized Implants for Bone Engineering”. DMC and VS thanks the FCT for the SFRH/BD/82411/2011 and SFRH/BPD/63148/2009 grants respectively. JLGR and MAGG acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through project No. MAT2010-21611-C03-01and MAGG the BES-2011-044740 grant. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&i Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.