VISCOSITY AND FLOW PROPERTIES OF CONCENTRATED-SOLUTIONS OF CHITOSAN WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DEACETYLATION

The effects of the degree of deacetylation (DD) on the viscosity and f low behaviour of concentrated solutions of chitosan were investigated using 0.2 M CH3COOH and 0.2 M CH3COOH/0.1 M CH3COONa aqueous solutions as solvents. The results indicated that the viscosity and flow proper ties of the solutions differed with the DD of chitosan. The solution v iscosities and the non-Newtonian flow properties as well as the flow a ctivation energies E(gamma) increased with the increasing DD of chitos an. However, the additional salt decreased the viscosities and the non -Newtonian flow properties of the solutions of chitosan, but did not c hange the flow activation energies E(gamma) of the solutions.