Formation of chitosan—surfactant complexes in aqueous-alcohol media

Abstract

The complexation of chitosan and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (DDS), in aqueous-alcohol media with a variable content of an organic cosolvent (methanol, ethanol, and propan-1-ol) was studied. A complicated effect of the composition of mixed solvents on the binding parameters of DDS by chitosan was observed. The introduction of 10–20 vol.% ethanol and propan-1-ol is accompanied by an increase in the degree of cooperative binding of DDS compared to that found in an aqueous solution, which leads to a decrease in the critical concentration of association and an increase in the cooperativity parameters.