Some Aspects of Physico-Chemical Properties of Chitosan : in Solutions and Films

Chitosan is an organic polysaccharide derived by deacetylation of chitin, the second most abundant natural polymer found in nature after cellulose. It is found in crustacean shells such as crab and shrimp, and has shown a great promise for a wide variety of applications. This is due to its unique properties including biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity and anti-bacterial. For a better understanding of this polymer properties in solutions and films, this book throws light on the rheological properties of chitosan solubilized in three selected solvents as well as provides the reader with the thermal, mechanical and surface properties of its films cast from the three solvents.