Mechanical Properties of Chitosan Films

MARIANA MONACHESI; NORA RODRÍGUEZ; DANIEL RICARDO ERCOLI; GRACIELA SUSANA GOIZUETA

Río de Janeiro

Congreso; World Polymer Congress. 41st International Symposium on Macromolecules; 2006

The aim of this work is to study the swelling characteristics and mechanical properties of films of chitosan and two derivatives N-methylene phosphonic chitosan (NMPC) and poly (ethylene glycol)aldehyde-crosslinked N-methylene phosphonic chitosan (NMPC-PEG-CHO). Modulus of elasticity (E), tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (%EL) of films were determined on an Instron Tester. It was found that swelling of NMPC-PEG-CHO is about 960% while NMPC is totally soluble. All materials showed a brittle behavior and E and %EL values decreased considerably for both of the chitosan derivatives.