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• Espíndola-González, A
• Martínez-Hernández, A
• Fernández-Escobar, F
• Castaño, V
• Brostow, W
• Datashvili, T
• Velasco-Santos, C
• [+] on Google Scholar
• Espíndola-González, A
• Martínez-Hernández, A
• Fernández-Escobar, F
• Castaño, V
• Brostow, W
• Datashvili, T
• Velasco-Santos, C
• [+] on PubMed
• Espíndola-González, A
• Martínez-Hernández, A
• Fernández-Escobar, F
• Castaño, V
• Brostow, W
• Datashvili, T
• Velasco-Santos, C

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2011, 12(3), 1908-1920; doi:10.3390/ijms12031908

Article

Natural-Synthetic Hybrid Polymers Developed via Electrospinning: The Effect of PET in Chitosan/Starch System

Adolfo Espíndola-González ^1,2 , Ana Laura Martínez-Hernández ³ , Francisco Fernández-Escobar ² , Victor Manuel Castaño ² , Witold Brostow ⁴ , Tea Datashvili ⁴  and Carlos Velasco-Santos ^3,*

¹ College of Engineering, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Edificio Bernardo Quintana, Cd. Universitaria, CP. 04510, Mexico D.F., Mexico ² Centre of Applied Physics and Advanced Technology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico ³ Queretaro Institute of Technology, Av. Tecnológico S/N Esq. Gral. Mariano Escobedo, Col. Centro Histórico. CP. 76000, Queretaro, Mexico ⁴ Laboratory of Advanced Polymers & Optimized Materials (LAPOM), Department of Materials Science & Engineering and Center for Advanced Research and Technology, University of North Texas, UNT Discovery Park Room E-132, 3940 N. Elm. Denton, TX 76207, USA

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 17 January 2011; in revised form: 2 March 2011 / Accepted: 14 March 2011 / Published: 16 March 2011

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chitins)

Download PDF Full-Text [641 KB, uploaded 16 March 2011 12:18 CET]

Abstract: Chitosan is an amino polysaccharide found in nature, which is biodegradable, nontoxic and biocompatible. It has versatile features and can be used in a variety of applications including films, packaging, and also in medical surgery. Recently a possibility to diversify chitosan properties has emerged by combining it with synthetic materials to produce novel natural-synthetic hybrid polymers. We have studied structural and thermophysical properties of chitosan + starch + poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Ch + S + PET) fibers developed via electrospinning. Properties of these hybrids polymers are compared with extant chitosan containing hybrids synthesized by electrospinning. Molecular interactions and orientation in the fibers are analyzed by infrared and Raman spectroscopies respectively, morphology by scanning electron microscopy and thermophysical properties by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Addition of PET to Ch + S systems results in improved thermal stability at elevated temperatures.

Keywords: natural-synthetic; chitosan; molecular interactions; electrospinning; PET

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