Characterization of Chitosan Particles via Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Conductometric Titration, Viscosity Average Molecular Weight and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Abstract

This paper reports the characterization of chitosan particles with a 1.0 × 10⁶ viscosity average molecular weight via attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, conductometric titration, viscosity average molecular weight and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The viscosity average molecular weight (M_v) of chitosan was determined based on conductometric titration. The degree of deacetylation which was calculated with the help of acid base titration method was used to determine k and a values. Then the average viscosity molecular weight was calculated with the help of [h], k and a by the Mark-Houwink Sakurada equation. Molecular and packing structures of the chitosan chains in the crystal were observed using polarized light microscopy to evaluate the crystal structure of the anhydrous form of chitosan.