Wetting characteristics and blood clotting on surfaces of acylated chitins

Various acylated chitins, including formyl, acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, caproyl, capryl, lauroyl, and benzoylchitin, were evaluated as materials for blood contact surfaces by means of contact angle and blood-clotting time measurements. Critical surface tensions of acylated chitins varied within the range of 20-30 dyn cm-1 and were dependent on the length of the acyl side chains. Furthermore, the dispersion and nondispersion components of the surface tension show remarkable differences which are dependent on the type of acyl group attached to chitin. The chitin derivative with 2.0 acetyl groups per N-acetylglucosamine residue gave values of the dispersive and nondispersive components of the surface tension that are very close to those obtained for glutaraldehyde-treated umbilical cord vessels. All of the acylated chitin surfaces show longer clotting times than the original chitin surface.