UV-induced macromolecular and optical modifications in gelatin solid films with transition metal chlorides

Gelatin solid films containing transition metal chlorides (NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O, CoCl2 center dot 6H(2)O and CrCI3 center dot 6H(2)O) were prepared and UV-irradiated at different exposure times, to study the effect of irradiation on the structural properties at the molecular level, as well as the electronic level, using FT-IR and UV-visible spectroscopies. Results showed that modifications in the molecular and electronic structure due to UV-irradiations were possible even when applying the irradiation treatment to the films in the solid phase. These modifications also differ according to the additive's type and concentration. The force constant of the CO bond tends to increase, and that for the OH bond tends to decrease, by increasing the irradiation exposure time. The colour difference tends to have higher values for the films with the higher additive concentration and higher exposure times, in the meantime, the brightness tends to increase for Gelatin-NiCl2 and Gelatin-CrCl3 films, and decrease for Gelatin-CoCl2 films. The samples of the Gelatin-NiCl2 group become more yellowish and more greenish by increasing concentrations and exposure times, whereas those of the Gelatin-CoCl2 group tend to become more bluish and more reddish. Moreover, the values of yellowness tend to increase for Gelatin-CoCl2 and Gelatin-NiCl2 films with increasing concentrations and exposure times. Our research concludes that UV-induced modifications in the microstructure and optical properties of the gelatin films are possible in the solid phase due to increasing the crosslinking effects. With the current findings, these films can be used as radiation biosensors. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.