Abstract
Chitosan (CS) polymers with a wide variety of average molecular weights were prepared by deacetylating chitin under the control of heating time and temperature. (chitosan-p-toluene sulfonic acid) salt ((CS-TSA) salt) was prepared from CS with p-toluene sulfonic acid in water. A solution of (CS-TSA) salt in 0.05M-NaCl aq. solution and water was studied by solution viscosity and membrane osmometry. The viscosity of (CS-TSA) salt showed typical polyelectrolyte behavior. The relationships between the number average molecular weight Mn and the intrinsic viscosity [η] were represented by the equation: [η] =3.59×10-4 [Mn]0.72 for molecular weights ranging from 0.6×105 to 4.2×105 by the eqation: [η] =1.60×10-6 [Mn]1.43 for molecular weights below 1.5×105, at 25°C in 0.05M-NaCl aq. solution and water. The variation of exponent α under the conditions studied indicated that (CS-TSA) salt was a flexible chain.
