Synthesis, characterization and thermal sensitivity of chitosan-based graft copolymers

Novel chitosan-based graft copolymers (CECTS-g-PDMA) were synthesized through homogeneous graft copolymerization of (N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA) onto N-carboxyethylchitosan (CECTS) in aqueous solution by using ammonium persulfate (APS) as the initiator. The effect of polymerization variables, including initiator concentration, monomer concentration, reaction time and temperature, on grafting percentage was studied. XRD, FTIR, DSC and TGA were used to characterize the graft copolymers. Surface-tension measurements, turbidity measurements and temperature-variable 1H NMR analysis were combined to investigate the thermal sensitivity of CECTS-g-PDMAs in aqueous solution.

Graphical abstractThe graft copolymer of poly(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate onto N-carboxyethylchitosan (CECTS-g-PDMA) was synthesized and characterized, and the thermal sensitivity of its aqueous solution was studied.