Effect of copper adsorption on the mechanical properties of chitosan beads

Abstract

The effect of copper adsorption on the mechanical properties of chitosan beads was investigated by measurement of creep modulus with a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Creep modulus changed drastically at a critical copper adsorption amount of 0.4 mol/mol of glucosamine unit. Creep modulus increased with increasing amount of copper up to 0.4 mol/mol, but decreased steeply as the amount of copper increased beyond 0.4 mol/mol. The variation in creep modulus with copper adsorption is discussed in terms of two models that describe the binding mode of transition metal to chitosan; the bridge model and the pendant model. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.