Abstract
ABSTRACTTo improve the solubility and antibacterial activity of chitosan and expand its applications, we synthesized sulfopropyl chitosan (SP‐CS) with various degrees of substitution (DSs) under mild and green reaction conditions in the aqueous solution of an ionic liquid by a green process. The chemical structures of the polymers were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H‐NMR, and the thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. After modification, the water solubility of chitosan was improved significantly, and SP‐CS showed excellent solubility in water at neutral pH. The antibacterial activities of the SP‐CSs with various DSs were systematically studied for the first time by the Oxford cup method and optical density method. The results suggest that the antimicrobial properties of SP‐CS were enhanced by the introduction of sulfopropyl and increased with increasing DS. The application of chitosan could be expanded, and SP‐CS has the potential to be used as a water‐soluble antimicrobial. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44989.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
