Synthesis and Rheological Properties of Magnetic Chitosan Hydrogel

Abstract

The aim of the present work is first to synthesis a magnetic chitosan hydrogel (chitosan ferrogel) using the blending method and second to study it rheological behavior. Magnetic components ( maghemite particles γ-Fe₂O₃ ) were synthesized via a simple chemical co-precipitation route also called Massart's procedure. Before being dispersed in chitosan network, γ-Fe₂O₃ particles were covered with a cationic polyelectrolyte (Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride; PDADMAC) and the exact quantity required to cover the entire surface of maghemite particles was determined by Electrophoretic mobility. The successful functionalization of maghemite particles was confirmed by zeta potential measurement. The prepared ferrogel was gelified using glyoxal as crosslinking agent. The effect of continuous magnetic field on rheological properties of the elaborated ferrogel was studied, under controlled temperature before and after the gelation process, using a rotating rheometer fitted with a new magneto-rheological cell. Moreover the influence of iron oxide content on the gelation time of magnetic hydrogel was studied by comparing two ferrogels with different maghemite particles content. Flow and viscoelastic measurements showed that applying magnetic field facilitates the formation of a new structure (column-like arrangements), which was confirmed by in situ optical microscopic observation. Kinetic study was investigated by mechanical spectroscopy and demonstrates that the gelation time depends on both iron oxides content and magnetic field.