I want to make chitosan 10% formulation. I am trying it 1% acetic acid solution but i can only go up to 2% beyond it solution becomes gel so please give some suggestions.
Dear Santosh
Chitosan is not soluble in aqueous or alkali solvents and it is soluble in acidic solvents like glacial acetic acid & diluted acids like HCL, H2O2, H2SO4 and HNO3.
Moreover, Chitosan is a polymer with hydroxide and amine groups so in order to make it (more) soluble in water one needs to either deprotonate OH groups or protonate NH2. It is easier (less damaging to the polymer) to protonate amines to NH3(+). Their pKa is close to 7 so mild acidic solution will do (final solution pH close to 4). Since they are charged in water they will move toward electrode or a charged wall. And, plan your experiment so once it is disolved, keep it wet until done with the experiment.
As Chitosan can also be dissolved in acidic solvents. You can use any of the two methods
1. Chitosan can also be dissolved in the mixture of 0.1M Acetic acid and 0.2M NaCl (at Room temp., 12 Hours with stirring) ............OR...............
2. Chitosan can be dissolved in 0.1M acetic acid (at 60 degrees celcius ., 5 hrs with stirring)
you welcome dear.
that's my pleasure if I can assist anybody...
Dear Muhammad Usman Munir,
I want to know another thing is Chitosan can be dissolved in Organic solvent like DMSO, because i have one sample with me which is fully dissolving in DMSO.