Affiliation: | aInstitute of Pharmacy and Food, University of Havana, Cuba bPharmaceutical Technology Division, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland cDepartment of Chemistry, P.O. Box 55, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland dViikki Drug Discovery Technology Center DDTC, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland |
Abstract: | Two samples of chitosan (CH1 and CH2) of different molecular weights and degrees of deacetylation were prepared from lobster chitin under two different processes. Solid-state properties of CH1 and CH2 were characterized and compared with four commercial chitosans prepared from crab and fresh shrimp shells. Infrared spectroscopy (IR), solid-state CP-MAS 13C NMR, powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetric techniques were used to characterize the molecular structure and solid-state properties of the materials. Changes in the crystallinity and polymorphic forms of CH1 and CH2 were attributable to the different process conditions used. The differences in crystallinity were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction data. The methods of preparation of CH1 and CH2 did not significantly influence the bulk, tap and true densities of the bulk material, but they affected the flow properties of CH1 and CH2. In conclusion, the physicochemical properties of the present chitosans prepared from lobster chitin (CH1 and CH2) are comparable with those of commercial chitosan materials of crab or shrimp shell origin. |