INFLUENCE OF THE INTERMOLECULAR INTERACTION ON PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CHITOSAN/HYALURONIC ACID BLENDS

In the present study, the results of viscosity measurements in dilute solutions of chitosan (Ch) with hyaluronic acid (HA) are presented. Chitosan is blended with hyaluronic acid in aqueous 0.1M CH3COOH/0.2M NaCl and 0.3M NaCl respectively, or with the addition of HEPES. Viscosity measurements of dilute polymer solution were carried out in an Ubbelohde capillary viscometer. The intrinsic viscosity, [eta], and the viscosity interaction parameters, b(m), have been determined for the binary (solvent/polymer) and ternary (solvent/polymer A/polymer B) systems. The homogeneity and morphology of chitosan blends were ascertained from the tapping-mode atomic force microscopy. The surface roughness of chitosan, hyaluronic acid and Ch/HA blended films was altered by mixing. The obtained results suggested that there was existence of the strong interactions between chitosan and hyaluronic acid.