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Published on: June 6, 2012
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Fluorescence control of chitin and chitosan fabricated via surface functionalization using direct oxidative
Thien An Phung Hai1, Ryuichi Sugimoto1
1School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kochi University of Technology Miyanokuchi, Tosayamada Kami Kochi 782-8502 Japan an.phthien@gmail.com sugimoto.ryuichi@kochi-tech.ac.jp.
RSC Advances
|May 11, 2022
Summary
Researchers grafted a conducting copolymer onto chitin and chitosan, creating multicolor materials. This surface modification offers a novel, one-step method for advanced biomaterial applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Chitin and chitosan are abundant biopolymers with potential applications in various fields.
- Surface modification of chitin and chitosan can enhance their properties and expand their utility.
- Conducting copolymers offer unique electronic and optical properties for material functionalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile method for grafting a 3-hexylthiophene (3HT) and fluorene (F) copolymer onto chitin and chitosan.
- To investigate the impact of copolymer grafting on the optical, thermal, and structural properties of chitin and chitosan.
- To explore the potential for creating multicolor chitin and chitosan materials through surface modification.
Main Methods:
- Direct grafting of 3HT/F copolymer onto chitin and chitosan using FeCl3 as an oxidant.
- Characterization using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS).
- Quantum yield measurements to assess luminescence efficiency.
Main Results:
- UV-Vis absorption peaks showed blue shifts with increasing fluorene content, while emission spectra exhibited red shifts controlled by monomer feed ratios.
- Grafting of the 3HT/F copolymer onto chitin and chitosan resulted in tunable optical properties, including multicolor emission.
- Thermal stability and crystallinity of chitin and chitosan decreased after copolymer grafting, as indicated by TGA and XRD analyses.
Conclusions:
- A straightforward one-step reaction enables the surface modification of chitin and chitosan with conducting copolymers.
- This method successfully imparts multicolor properties to chitin and chitosan, driven by the grafted (3HT/F) moieties.
- The study presents a promising route for developing functionalized chitin and chitosan biomaterials with tailored optical characteristics.
