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    Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan/Agar Blended Films: Part 2. Thermal, Mechanical, and Surface Properties

    Year: 2012

    Journal: E-journal of Chemistry 2012, 9 (2) pp 510-516, 20121211

    Authors: Esam A. Elhefian, Mohamed Mahmoud Nasef, Abdul Hamid Yahaya

    Organizations: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

    Chitosan/agar (CS/AG) films were prepared by blending different proportions of chitosan and agar (considering chitosan as the major component) in solution forms. The thermal stability of the blended films was studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). It was revealed that chitosan and agar form a compatible blend. Studying the mechanical properties of the films showed a decrease in the tensile strength and elongation at break with increasing agar content. Blending of agar with chitosan at all proportions was found to form hydrogel films with enhanced swelling compared to the pure chitosan one. Static water contact angle measurements confirmed the increasing affinity of the blended films towards water suggesting that blending of agar with chitosan improves the wettability of the obtained films.