Interference with chemical crosslinking of sulfated polysaccharides by sulfuric acid groups of polysaccharide chain

Abstract

The chemical crosslinking of funoran, a sulfated galactan, was attempted by using polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ethers in order to prepare a gel for using as a water-absorbing network polymer contained in disposable napkins. The funoran gel was not obtained under a series of crosslinking conditions. Other sulfated polysaccharides, such as κ- and λ-carrageenan, were not also crosslinked by the diglycidyl ethers, while agarose was chemically crosslinked to give its gel. Agarose has the same chemical main chain as funoran but has no sulfuric acid groups. The bulky sulfuric acid groups may intercept sterically the reaction between the hydroxyl groups and the glycidyl groups of the crosslinker.