Determination of viscosity-average molecular weight of chitosan using intrinsic viscosity measurement

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Determination of molecular weight by intrinsic viscosity measurement is a simple method for characterization of chitosan. To study the effect of radiation on molecular weight, chitosan was first irradiated using electron beam at different doses prior to measurement. Different concentrations of chitosan were prepared and measurement was done at room temperature. The flow time data was used to calculate the intrinsic viscosity by extrapolating the reduced viscosity to zero concentration. The value of intrinsic viscosity was then recalculated into the viscosity-average molecular weight using Mark-Houwink equation. 

ABSTRAK

Penentuan berat molekul melalui pengukuran kelikatan intrinsik merupakan satu kaedah yang mudah untuk pencirian kitosan. Untuk mengkaji kesan sinaran terhadap berat molekul, kitosan terlebih dahulu disinarkan menggunakan alur electron sebelum analisa dijalankan. Kepekatan kitosan yang berbeza disediakan dan pengukuran djalankan pada suhu bilik. Data aliran masa digunakan untuk mengira kelikatan intrinsik dengan mengekstrapolasi penurunan kelikatan kepada kepekatan sifar. Nilai kelikatan intrinsik yang diperoleh kemudiannya digunakan dalam persamaan Mark-Houwink bagi mendapatkan purata kelikatan berat molekul.