Unraveling the effect of the hydration level on the molecular mobility of nanolayered polymeric systems
João Borges1, Sofia G Caridade, Joana M Silva
13B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, S. Cláudio do Barco, 4806-909, Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
Abstract:
This work investigates the influence of the hydration level on the molecular mobility and glass transition dynamics of freestanding chitosan/alginate (CHT/ALG) nanolayered systems. Nonconventional dynamic mechanical analysis identifies two relaxation processes assigned to the α-relaxation of the two biopolymers, respectively, CHT and ALG, when immersed in water/ethanol mixtures. This phenomenon explains the shape memory properties of the multilayered systems induced by hydration, thus constituting promising smart materials that would be of paramount importance in a plethora of research fields, including in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.
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