Accessibility of the functional groups of chitosan aerogel probed by FT-IR-monitored deuteration

Transmission FT-IR spectroscopy allowed us to monitor the deuteration of wafers of chitosan aerogel and xerogel by D2O vapor at room temperature. The complete deuteration of the alcohol and amine groups of the aerogel (surface area 175 m(2) g(-1) as measured by N-2 volumetry) confirmed the high accessibility of the functional groups of the polymer. The xerogel (surface area 5 m(2) g(-1)) was only partially deuterated in more severe conditions. The isotopic shift of the deuterated groups allowed us to confirm or revise some attributions of infrared bands of chitosan.