CONFORMATION OF CHAINS OF CHITIN-GLUCANE COMPLEX ACCORDING TO SMALL-ANGLE NEUTRON-SCATTERING DATA

Small-angle scattering of thermal neutrons (SANS) was used to study th e conformation of single chains of a partially deuterated chitin-gluca ne complex introduced in amorphous films of a normal complex. It is sh own that chain conformation are more compact as compared to that of a Gaussian coil. This is probably due to fast coagulation of a polymer i n the course of film preparation. Molecular mass distribution determin ed from SANS data is consistent with the data on dynamic light scatter ing from chitin-glucane complex in solution.