Chitosan Cross-Linking with a Water-Soluble, Blocked Diisocyanate. 1. Solid State

The present investigation focuses on the synthesis and application of a cross-linking agent that is compatible with the solubility characteristics of chitosan. A water-soluble, blocked-diisocyanate was prepared as a bisulfite adduct to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, which proved to be stable for several weeks in aqueous, acidic chitosan solutions at room temperature. Thermal cross-linking of chitosan as cast, dried films was investigated by varying the NCO/NH2 ratio from 0.0 to 1.2. Spectroscopic (IR), thermal (TGA), swelling, and structural (WAXD) studies indicated that chitosan was cross-linked in a concentration-dependent manner under mild thermal conditions: 60 °C for 24 h. Cross-linking inefficiency was concluded to be due to lack of mobility of the reacting species in the solid state. In a preliminary study, the enzymatic degradation with Chitinase (E. C. 3.2.1.14) from Streptomyces griseus was found to be the greatest for non-crosslinked chitosan, followed by chitin, and then by cross-linked samples.