Electrospinning and Photocrosslinking of Highly Modified Fungal Chitosan. Issue 1 (3rd October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christ, Henrik‐Alexander; Menzel, Henning
• Is Part Of: Macromolecular materials and engineering. Volume 308:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-10-03
• Subjects: arylazide -- electrospinning -- modified chitosan -- nanofibers -- photocrosslinking -- stable jets; Plastics -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1002/mame.202200430
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1438-7492

Abstract

Abstract: The main focus of this study is to elucidate and optimize the electrospinning process for highly modified fungal chitosan. An efficient one‐step process for functionalization of chitosan with arylazide and other desired functional groups via amidation is used for synthesis. Critical electrospinning process parameters, namely, molecular weight, concentration, and ratio of chitosan and additive poly(ethylene oxide) as well as degree of substitution of chitosan are identified by systematic parameter variation following design‐of‐experiment guidelines. Their influence on the viscoelastic properties of spinning solutions is studied and attributed to changes in chain entanglements. These changes result in drastic shifts in the electrohydrodynamic jet behavior and the resulting fiber morphologies. When the viscosity is increased above a critical limit, complete cancellation of whipping instabilities is observed, resulting in a stable linear jet and highly aligned but partly coalescing microfibers. It is shown how this process conditions can be avoided and how the production of uniform and defect‐free nanofibers from highly functional chitosan can be carried out. In addition, a new photocrosslinking method for generation of water and acid stable chitosan nanofiber meshes is established. Abstract : Parameters to control electrohydrodynamic jet behavior during electrospinning and the subsequent fiber morphologies are determined for fungal chitosan derivatized with arylazide. This allows to obtain uniform and defect‐free nanofibers that can be photocrosslinked. Thus, water and acid stable chitosan nanofiber meshes (on the right side is loaded with fluorescent dye for better visualization) are obtained.