A Study on the Water Absorption Ability of Propionyl Chitosan to the Various Aqueous Solutions

Propionyl Chitosan의 여러 가지 수용액에 대한 흡수능에 관한 연구

Chitin, the natural polymer has been known as harmless and innoxious material to human and has been also known to be biodegradable. Chitosan which was prepared by the deacetylation of chitin, was propionylated to obtain porous bead shaped propionyl chitosan and its possibility as a water-absorbant polymer was investigated. Propionyl chitosan porous bead was synthesized by acylation reaction using emulsion method of acetic acid solution and propionyl chitosan was partially crosslinked using ethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether. Through the experiment varying the moles of propionic anhydride, reaction time and reaction temperature, best results for water-absorption ability was obtained at reaction condition of 5 moles of propionic anhydride, 10 hours of reaction time and $22^{\circ}C$ of reaction temperature. The absorption ability to the distilled water, various salt solutions, artificial urine and artificial blood, absorption time and retention of water of synthesized porous bead were investigated and also mechanical strength after crosslinking was determined.

천연고분자인 chitin은 인체에 무해무독하며 생분해성이 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이 chitin을 탈아세틸화시켜 얻은 chitosan에 propionyl group을 도입하여 porous bead의 형태로 제조하고 이들의 흡수성수지로서의 가능성을 검토하였다. 실험에 사용된 propionyl chitosan porous bead의 합성은 chitosan을 acetic acid 수용액에 녹인 후 emulsion을 이용한 방법으로 아실화 반응을 일으켜 제조하였으며, crosslinked propionyl chitosan porous bead는 ethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether로 부분가교시킨 chitosan을 사용하여 상기와 같은 방법으로 제조하였다. 이때 propionic anhydride의 몰수와 반응시간 그리고 반응온도를 변화시킨 결과, propionyl chitosan의 합성조건은 propionic anhydride 5 moles, 반응시간 10시간 그리고 반응온도가 $22^{\circ}C$일 때 흡수능이 가장 좋은 것을 알 수 있었다. 제조된 porous bead에 대하여 증류수 및 생리식염수, 각종 염용액, 인공뇨 및 인공혈액에 대한 흡수도를 검토하였고, 흡수속도 및 보수력에 대한 교환 사항을 검토하였으며, 나아가 가교에 따른 기계적 강도의 변화를 고찰하였다.