Synthesis and Kinetic Study of Chitosan - g- Poly (acrylic acid) Nanoparticles.(Part I)

Chitosan (CS)-g-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) nanoparticles, which are well dispersed and stable in aqueous solution, have been prepared by template polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) in chitosan solution. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were investigated by using FT-IR, and transmission electron microscope. The optimum conditions for the preparation of the nanoparticled were found to be 10 g/l chitosan concentration with 1:1 weight ratio of CS:AA, initiators ratio (persulfate: bisulfate) 2:1 with 1.5 g/l for persulfate, the temperature was 50 o C and 10 minutes reaction time. It was found that the molecular weight of PAA in nanoparticles increased with the increase of molecular weight of CS, indicating that the polymerization of acrylic acid in the chitosan solution was a template polymerization. It was also found that the prepared nanoparticles may reach a size of 1nm using an agitation speed of 500 rpm.