Synthesis and characteristics of interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel composed of chitosan and poly(acrylic acid)

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels composed of chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) were synthesized by UV irradiation method, and their structure, crystallinity, swelling behavior, thermal property, and mechanical property were investigated. Chitosan/PAAc IPNs exhibited relatively high equilibrium water content and also showed reasonable sensitivity to pH. From the swelling behaviors at various pH's, Fourier transform infrared spectra at high temperature and thermal analysis confirmed the formation of polyelectrolyte complex due to the reaction between amino groups in chitosan and carboxyl groups in PAAc. For this reason, even at a swollen state, the present chitosan/PAAc IPNs possess good mechanical properties. Particularly, the CA-2 sample (with a weight ratio of chitosan/PAAc = 50/50, molar ratio [NH2]/[COOH] = 25/75) showed the lowest equilibrium water content and free water content, attributed to the more compact structure of the polyelectrolyte than CA-1 or CA-3 due to the high amount of interchain bond within the IPN. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.