Effect of different carboxylic acids as solvent on chitosan fibers production by wet spinning

Abstract

Over the past decades, chitosan has been extensively investigated and used as a biomaterial due to a set of properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioactivity. In the present work to produce the chitosan fibers was used the wet spinning technique and Two parameters, solvent and polymers concentration, were chosen as variables. For polymer concentration two concentrations were applied: 2%, 2.5%; and for solvents, three different acids were used: acetic, malic and lactic. Characterizations were carried out, using FTIR, Swelling Degree measurements, SEM and mechanical tests in terms of Traction. From the dimensional analysis of the fiber, different diameters where detected possibly due to steric effects cause by the presence of the acid. Other properties were also affected, revealing that as denser fibers are tend they have higher mechanical properties, and lesser tendency to swell. The fibers showed good potential for application as sutures.