Fabrication of chitosan single-component microcapsules with a micrometer-thick and layered wall structure by stepwise core-mediated precipitation

Yuanyuan Han; Weijun Tong; Yuying Zhang; Changyou Gao

doi:10.1002/marc.201100685

Fabrication of chitosan single-component microcapsules with a micrometer-thick and layered wall structure by stepwise core-mediated precipitation

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2012 Feb 27;33(4):326-31. doi: 10.1002/marc.201100685. Epub 2012 Jan 18.

Authors

Yuanyuan Han¹, Weijun Tong, Yuying Zhang, Changyou Gao

Affiliation

¹ MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.

PMID: 22258737
DOI: 10.1002/marc.201100685

Abstract

Incubation of CaCO(3) microparticles in chitosan (CS) solution at pH 5.2 and following with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA) treatment resulted in CS single-component microcapsules with an ultra-thick wall structure. Repeating the incubation caused stepwise increase of wall thickness and finally resulted in CS microcapsules with a layered structure. This unique method is mediated by precipitation of CS on the CaCO(3) particles as a result of pH increase caused by the partial dissolution of CaCO(3) . The obtained CS capsules are stable at neutral pH.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Calcium Carbonate / chemistry
Capsules / chemistry*
Chemical Precipitation
Chitosan / chemistry*
Edetic Acid / chemistry
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

Substances

Capsules
Chitosan
Edetic Acid
Calcium Carbonate