Synthesis and Characterization of Starch Citrate-Chitosan Foam with Superior Water and Saline Absorbance Properties

The objective of this research was to synthesize and characterize high-value foam gel materials with unique absorptive and mechanical properties from starch citrate chitosan. The effects of starch citrate concentration, pH, solid to liquid ratio, reaction time, and temperature on absorbency, weight loss in water, and strength were determined. The crosslinked starch citrate chitosan foam is flexible and elastic and has significantly increased absorbance and strength and decreased weight loss in water compared to starch-chitosan foam. A unique characteristic of the starch citrate-chitosan foam is that it absorbs more saline solution than pure water, which is the opposite of current commercial super absorbents. An increased strength, increased degradation temperature, increased storage modulus, and decreased weight loss in water for starch citrate chitosan relative to starch chitosan are in agreement with amide bonds formed between the carboxyl group of starch citrate and the amino group of chitosan.