Preparation and Hydrogel Properties of pH-Sensitive Amphoteric Chitin Nanocrystals

Different from single charged or uncharged nanocrystals, amphoteric chitin nanocrystals (A-ChNCs) with both amine and carboxylate groups prepared with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy-radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation and partial deacetylation were individually nanodispersed by sonicating in water at pH 3 and pH 11. The effects of the amount of NaClO₂ added in TEMPO-oxidation, deacetylation time, and sequence of the two treatments on the weight recovery ratios of the A-ChNCs were investigated. The A-ChNCs prepared under optimum conditions had an average length of ∼544 nm and an average width of ∼10 nm. The A-ChNCs nanodispersed in water at pH 3 and pH 11 had absolute ζ-potentials of >30 mV; however, in neutral water, they formed aggregations, which were nanodispersed again when pH was adjusted to 3 or 11, showing pH sensitivity. Hydrogels of A-ChNC were prepared by adding saturated NaCl solution and adsorbed both anionic and cationic dyes. Freeze-dried A-ChNC aerogels had three-dimensional network structures containing abundant pores.